UNSC Galactic Codex: 3238 Edition
by Chris000
Summary: The UNSC Codex 3238 Edition provides the reader with an understanding of how our galaxy works and a detailed account of all races and aspects of life. It's a detailed encyclopedia that I've written. It's very well detailed touching on many points.
1. Chapter 1: Intro

This is a rulebook that I use as a fanfiction writer. I am also moving onto original works so much of this will be used there as well. I may be a nerd but I worked a whole lot on this and I feel that I should share my bible with others to show them how I work.

UNSC GALACTIC CODEX: 3238 Edition  
Alpha Publishing  
London, England, Earth  
Written by Antoine D'Colette  
Edited by Vash St. John

Dear Reader,

This tome carries great knowledge in what the universe we live in is made of. You may be of another species. Do not worry as all species are mentioned and little to no bias is placed on who is better. Simple things such as the way life works and important characteristics are touched on to give you a better idea of your place in the universe. Without further ado, please proceed to the first section of the book, RACES.


	2. Chapter 2: The Flood

THE FLOOD

'Inferi Redivius'  
Home System: Unknown, Extragalactic in origin  
Physical Features:  
Resiliant  
Decayed Body  
Green Blood and/or fluid  
Tendrils poking out of flesh  
calcium whip/claws

INTRODUCTION:

The Flood is one of the most terrifying creatures in the known galaxy. The Flood is a parasitic alien virus that hails from an unknown solar system. According to Forerunner logs, the aliens are actually hinted to be extragalactic in origin. The xenovirus first made its appearance around 100,000BCE when it attacked the Forerunners, a hyper advanced alien culture. The parasite is cunning. infecting victims and converting them to othe Flood forces. Their knowledge increases collectively as they absorb a victim, allowing them to gain information to utilize weapons, pilot vehicles (even spacecraft) and bypass complex systems. If a world leader were to be assimilated, everything he knew would be absorbed by th Flood and would be used against his people.

The Latin name for the Flood, "Inferi Redivivus", literally measn the dead reincarnated or revived. It is quite apt since they are reanimated corpses. Otherwise it is a misnomer since a victim can be alive at the time.

HISTORY

After a 100 millenium hibernation, a collective known as the Covenant released the Flood looking for religious artifacts on an artificial ring world called Halo in the Iota Horologii system. The Flood proceeded to invade the ring absorbing human and Covenant Alike. Even a Forerunner research station within the atmosphere of the gas giant Threshold recieved an infestation. Halo was destroyed by Master Chief Petty Officer John 117 when he detonated a ship's reactor core.

The parasite was far from dead. On other similar rings, more Flood were awakened, and worse, a collective conscious creature called a Gravemind showed itself. In 2553, the Flood were defeated once again when a second Halo ring was destroyed by premature firing. Since then the Flood have been slow to reveal themselves. With the Gravemind dead and the information lost, the parasite had to start all over again, which made them easy to kill. While none have been seen in a hundred and fifty years, it is always safe to assume that more will arrive from outside the galaxy.

INFECTION FORM (ST. 1)

The simplest form of the Flood xenovirus. The Infection Form's sole purpose is to infect another living creature. It does this by tapping into the spinal column and burrow into the chest and begin converting it into a Combat Form. This is a relatively quick procedure and moves them to the next step.

COMBAT FORM (ST. 2)

The Combat form is a more sophisticated version of the Flood. It is the direct biproduct of an infected individual who has the Flood xenovirus. After a host is claimed by an Infection form, it is mutilated. Namely it produces a carbon whip/claw-like structure from the hands, functioning as a weapon. Bones liquify and the body is utterly transformed. Mostly a victim is dead by this time. If they are not, they live in pain and have the feeling that they have no control over their bodies. This is correct...

Combat forms can operate weapons (with proper prior knowledge), vehicles, and have increased intelligence. Gunning down these forms doesn't necessarily mean that they are dead. Combat forms can "play dead" to fool the attacker, then leap up to surprise them.

CARRIER FORM (ST. 3)

Scientists consider the Carrier form to be the final stage of life for a Flood drone. The final step involves a Combat form becoming a giant incubator. The skin of the Combat form baloons outward and Infection forms are created inside of it. How this happens exactly, nobody knows. This form has barely any sensory perception since no visible eyes, ears or noses exist so the tendrils count as limbs. When a Carrier form detects an enemy, it waddles towards them with almost eagerness to die. This is the interesting part: The Carrier form explodes either on its own choice or because of damage. The Infection forms fly out of the corpse and restart the circle of Flood life.

It is believed that creatures who do not have the required calcium level to be transformed into Combat forms are repurposed to Carrier forms. The most common creature suffering this fate are Unggoy.

PURE FORM

Named Pure (or Purestrain), this form of Flood differs from it's parasitic counterparts. The fact of the matter is that this creature is purely Flood, having nothing but Flood DNA, hence Purestrain. Since they are made of Flood supervirus, they do not need a host to function. This is the most powerful of Flood because it changes these rules. So far, four forms of Pure forms have been known to exist, the Tank Form, which is a hulking brute, impervious to all but a few weapons, the Stalker Form, which resmbles a spider which climbs walls and ceilings, the Ranged Form, which fires organic needles at an enemy, and the more recent Flight Form which is an avian based Flood form. It too has an organic needle cannon located in its' mouth. Two wings keep it aloft while it flies around

GRAVEMIND

The braind behind the operation. The Gravemind is the leader of the Flood serving as the center of the Flood Hive Mind. A Gravemind is formed by gathering large ammounts of corpses in one location and allowing them to build up. Multiple corpses can be contributed forming what is called a PROTO-GRAVEMIND, a fleshly lump which has rudimentary telepathy between other Flood. After a few thousand years, a Gravemind can reach the point where it can influence Flood across the entire galaxy. Only two (supposedly) have been known to exist. One was 100,000 years ago with the Forerunner war and the second being killed in 2553 which may or may not be the same creature.


	3. Chapter 3: The Gallvante

THE GALLVANTE  
"Multi Appello"  
Home System: HD 20782  
Physical Features:  
Tall  
Three Fingered Hands  
Four eyes  
Hidden Second Pair of Arms  
Two knees

INTRODUCTION:

The Gallvante (pronounced GALL-VANT-TEY) are a sentient race of aliens which hail from a planet named Thakhorim (Translated as 'The Giver') in the HD 20782 system located around 117 light years from Earth. They are relative newcomers to the UNSC making their presence known in 2917 while a human warship was passing through the system. At that time they have developed Three-Stage rocket technology similar to the Apollo Lunar missions in the 1960s. From that point, they asked to join the UNSC and were accepted.

Typically Gallvante stand at 6 feet but many have been known to exceed 7 feet. Large eyes allow the beings to see in the dark as in their past the Gallvante were known to be hunters and foragers. A second set of arms are located inside their clothes which they don't usually take out in front of humans. A second pair of eyes allow them to have a wider field of view and see enemies. Their nostrils appear to be small slits on the sides of their heads which pick up better scents than humans. The native language of the species is Gallva. English can be spoken and most Gallvante reach fluency within months.

Gallvante reach an age of 103 on average before they die but healthy ones can live much longer. The Latin name "Multi Appello" means Many Names. This will be explained in the next section.

NAMING RITES

Probably one of the most interesting aspects of a Gallvante is the naming of the species. The most important ritual is the naming ritual. For example, humans achieve three names at birth, The given name, a middle name, and the family name (Christopher Hank Tanner). Gallvante earn a given name and a clan name at birth (Dessek Cueqila). In addition to this, if a Gallvante does something of great merit in their lives, they have the right to select another name for themselves. For instance, a person who completes schooling or military training has the right to have another name. Thus being said, it is not unlikely to have up to ten names. The current record holder is Section General Haan Xect Balos Tame Bhatia Lliam Oppold Cadd Issik Frante. He is just normally known as Haan Xect or just Haan.

SPACE AGE

A major leap in Gallvante technology was in the February of 2553 when the end of the Human/Covenant war was in sight. For one reason or another, a Covenant Holy Fleet that was attacking Thakhorim pulled away to attack Earth, presumably because they found the Ark. the Gallvante homeworld was scarred and destroyed but society remained intact. They rebuilt for nearly four hundred years picking up where they left off and scavanging damaged Covenant technology.

The Gallvante eventually sent probes into space. Recently, the Gallvante located many habitable worlds in space, Earth being one of them, but they had no idea how to get to them. They launched the first space-capable ship, the Nulva Mk I Space Explorer Vehicle. By the time the Command Module reached High orbit, the UNSC Destroyer Bellerophone discovered them.

GALLVANTE WEAPONRY

Gallvante weapons mirror humans in many ways. They mainly use proojectile technology but plasma weapons are not unheard of. Bullets used in Gallvante weapons are usually made out of lead but also made out of a metal unique to Thakhorim called Vledium. Vledium has high penetration power and high damage transfer. When mixed together, they form a very powerful high explosive mixture. It is used as an export to other worlds, but is expensive to obtain.

Gallvante classify their weapons in Gallva but are more than happy to also label them in English. Strangely, no rocket launchers have been developed and no mortar system for that matter. There is no official reason but many historians claim it is because the Gallvante based their weapons around Covenant technology which did not feature rockets or mortars.

GALLVANTE POLITICS

Gallvante government systems are mostly democratic. The leaders of Thakhorim are known as the Council of Clans. There are fifty such clans scattered all over the planet. A representitive is elected from the population and is sent to the Council to participate in government matters. The head of the Council is called the Councilor. Lesser representitives are known as Clansmen. All positions in the council are achieveable through election. The Councilor's position is attained through a majority vote in favor of a member.

Also, the Council has the ability to impeach the current Concilor if they feel that his actions are endangering the Gallvante as a whole. If this happens, the Councilor is demoted to a Clansman and an election immdeietely takes place. The impeachment is attained through a two thirds vote.

Gender inequalities are virtually non-existant on this world which means that females have as much right as men. The term Clansmen is just a generalization, not an intended sexist insult.

When the Council is not in session, the Councilor has Ambassador status, being granted diplomatic immunity and access to embassies on other worlds. Most commonly, Councilors travel to Earth to engage in UN issues. An embassy is present in New York city as well as on a spac station in L5 orbit.

Government is not always pleasant for the Gallvante. Several times in history, an impeachment has gone wrong and has started many civil wars and coup d'etats. Fortunately, not all revokings result in bloodshed, many are even peaceful since if a previous Councilor was liked, he may attain the position again. The current Councilor for the Gallvante is the Honorable Bisk Lhem Sapt Miko Hankir Bhalia.

GALLVANTE MILITARY

Although considered to be primitive by many races in the galaxy, humans included, the Gallvante Armed Guard is actually a very powerful military force, employing group tactics similar to the ancient Romans, attacking in blocks with vehicles backing them up all the way.

While it is not required, Gallvante children are encouraged to spend at least two years in the military. This is the minimum ammount of time to achieve a naming rite, increasing their status in life. The ranking structure is much like humans but the difference is that generals fight on the battlefield with their forces.


	4. Chapter 4: The Mobians

THE MOBIANS  
'Bestia Sapiens Sapiens'  
Home System: Mobius  
Notable Features:  
Furry  
Anthropomorphic  
Athletic  
Intelligent

INTRODUCTION

Mobians, are anthropomorphic creatures. The name anthropomorphic stems from the Greek words _ánthrōpos _meaning 'human' and _morphē_ which means 'form' or shape. They are a race that is artificial in origin. These magnificent creatures were created by cosmic accident in the late 23rd Century. NASA scientists today are still baffled on how it occurred. Doctor Matthew Gregory Mobius, a young astrophysicist created a gateway which would take them to another world, planning to outdo Doctors Tobias Shaw and Wallace Fujikawa decades before the SF Translight Drive would become a reality.

Mobius selected the best suited colonists from Earth's elite, from every continent on the planet. A million people were selected to partake in the mission. Aboard ten colony ships able to house 100,000 colonists each, Mobius led them through the gate. Unfortunately there was a malfunction which caused them to emerge in a different universe parallel to our own.

Unable to contact Earth, Mobius and the Lost Million were quickly labeled 'Dead or Missing'. The best hope for mankind was in another universe. Without Mobius, Shaw and Fujikawa completed their Slipspace drive and began the true human interstellar age.

The colonists were trapped here, exposed to exotic radiation, the DNA of the colonists and the animal specimens mixed nearly instantly. Soon, the human colonists noticed that their reactions and senses spiked, whereas the animal specimens actually grew to full sapience within 30 years, guided by loving human hands. They could walk, talk and act just like a normal human being no different except for the fur.

The Latin name 'Bestia Sapiens Sapiens' means wise, wise animal or wiser animal.

BLENDING IN

Mobians have only recently been reintroduced to galactic society. A misjumped supercarrier accidently got stuck in the Mobius system, fraternizing with the anthros. Curiously enough, no humans were left alive on the planet, possibly due to disease. However, skeletons discovered there went back more than 10,000 years, suggesting that whatever _originally_ killed all life on this planet happened long before Mobius showed up.

The addition of Mobians among the Humans was slightly unsettling. The first few months of integration among the population of Earth and the Colonies was nothing short of culture shock. Humans were also equally surprised to see their furry brethren. Some Mobians adjusted almost immediately, others needed a helping hand.

Religious communities took the integration extremely hard, Christian and Judaism being the most intolerant. After learning that Mobians had considerable human DNA, they declared them "Chimeras" and in even a few extremist cases, heresies. Despite the unfavorable reaction from the religious communities, many leaders of the faith including the Roman Catholic Church find no fault in their existence claiming that "God brought them into our world." Many anthros are atheists or agnostics, knowing their origins but many have been known to ponder the position of a higher power.

HATE CRIMES

As with all cultures that attempt to integrate with one another, there have been many counts of hate crimes. Just as the African Americans were segregated and tortured, as were the humans from Mars, the anthros were just the latest on the cultural chopping block.

Hate crimes ranged from various small things such as spray painting harsh terms such as "furfags go home" or "Earth Doesn't Want You". It has gone much worse than this. There have been several counts of physical assaults. Normally, Mobians are attacked by humans. The targets are usually female anthros. They are attacked, raped, and killed. This has caused outrage with the Mobian leadership and has demanded that the UN stop the segregation and lynching.

Thankfully, the total numbers of hate crimes have dropped almost a sheer dive. Humans seem to be accepting them more quickly than any other culture in history.

NAMING

Traditionally, Mobians are named the exact same way humans are named. Early Mobians would take the name of human families that took care of them (e.g. Greg O'Hanlon, Stephen Church, etc.). This allows them to have a much more identifiable family lines and would allow them to make complex arrangements with each other. Alternatively, there were groups of Mobians who would _not_ take a name at all. These were jokingly called 'John Doe' Mobians because of no identification less than a first name (e.g. Han the Fox, Quincy the Platypus, etc.).

There are even smaller amounts that purposely lie about their names. The best such example is Sonic the Hedgheog. He claims that this is his name but his UNSC citizenship has been placed under his real name, Olgilvie Maurice. Some keep their names hidden out of embarrassment (such as Sonic here) while others hide them to give a sense of a drifter (See Sonic again).

IN THE MILITARY

It turns out; being in the service is possibly the best way to get away from racism. Mobians usually enlist to see the rest of the galaxy and explore the Frontier, the boarder of Known Space. They do realize that there will be bloodshed but because of their rather stained history, they are ready for a fight. Because of their natural athletic abilities, Mobian Marines usually trump other humans. While there is little racism, there is _plenty_ of envy. There is currently a Mobian general on the UNSC Security Council, Major General Gerald Swanson, believed to be a wolf.

Mobian ships have the appearance of swifter craft whereas human ships are blockier. It has been revealed that Mobian ships outperform UNSC vessels in atmosphere. Heavy cruisers like the _Marathon_-Class cannot even enter the atmosphere without large anti-grav generators to keep them afloat whereas a Mobian battlecruiser can maneuver like a plane in the air.

Mobian ranks are identical to humans.

MOBIAN WEAPONRY

Early Mobians utilized all weapons that the Marines carried on their ships. These were simple lead firing guns and primitive gauss cannons. As the years rolled on, the Mobians developed their own weapons, sticking with Human aesthetic touches, such as angular surfaces, brass casings and digital readouts.

These guns primarily fire lead but rounds of tungsten and bismuth for anti materiel purposes were also used. Less lethal uses of tazers, darts and rubber bullets were encouraged to be used more than the lethal options.

MINDSET

Mobians are ecologically inclined, more so than the other races of the galaxy. They love to make sure that the environment of both Earth and Mobius be met with respect. There are many ecologically friendly companies that Mobians have started and have recently been getting a lot of backing from the human clients.

A Mobian company, Unity Galactic is a dual purpose company. It serves up front as an ecological awareness company that produces purifiers and air cleaners that cleanse atmospheres, oceans, and plains. What it really is known for is that Unity is a terraformation company that changes atmospheres of barren worlds into ones that biological life can thrive in. Unity has many clients all of many races all vying for a chance to have a world uniquely created for them. Currently, Unity is tasked with terraforming PSR J0108-1431 b, the first hopeful pulsar planet to be terraformed. At the current rate of work, the colony shall be ready in two years.

RELATIONSHIPS

*DISCLAIMER: This topic contains controversial information that some readers may find offensive. Reader discretion is advised.*

Anthros are no different in their relationships as humans are. It is a hot topic of debate and scientific study. Their romantic engagements are slightly augmented though. Just as humans can be with humans of different nationalities, Mobians of different species can intermingle. People have been working for many years trying to figure out how this happens.

The current hypothesis is that there is a fifty/fifty chance that if two species mate, that the child will be of either the mother or the father species. Even more interesting is the traits the resulting child picks up. No matter which species the child is, traits from either parent are seen in the child's behavior. It isn't uncommon for say, the kitten that is the product of a relationship with, for example, a kangaroo and a tigress will have the ability to jump very high or have a lopsided sense of balance, lacking the tail the father has.

On a more controversial note, studies have shifted to look at relationships between _humans_ and Mobians. Studies have shown that mixed race couples that are sexually active do enjoy each other's presence. Also, some humans will pick a Mobian over a human for personal reasons. The reason for Mobians to initially start breeding with humans is unknown, although it is hypothesized that it was to prevent inbreeding. There are currently 1.77 trillion humans and a mere 5 billion Mobians. The Mobians would obviously want to swell their numbers but they have said that they all genuinely love their partners.

An interesting fact literally born of the situation is the fact that there is a considerably higher chance of a human child being born from a Human/Mobian sexual encounter. This is unknown but the current theory is that since Mobians are one part human, one part animal, and humans are two parts human, there is a seventy-five percent chance of a human birth.

PECULIARITIES

There are certain aspects about the Mobian culture that the folk of Humanity find constantly interesting. The first fact is that no matter the species, all Mobians are omnivores. Nobody, not even Mobians know why this is so but current scientific speculation is that when the species was born, human palettes were transferred to the Mobians' brains. Still, it is unsettling to most humans to see a normally herbivorous species such as a rabbit anthro eating a New York steak.

The next peculiarity is that all evolutionart issues have been cast aside, most notably the fact that cats no longer chase mice; dogs no longer chase cats, and so on and so forth. Many species that have been known through antiquity no longer despise each other. This causes the raised eyebrow when humans see a rodent and a feline discussing business in the local bistro.

The final thing that strikes the Mobian species as odd is the fact that some species traits have stayed with them. This is regarded more as cute as interesting. For example, a canine Mobian will ask for a shoulder rub. He will then insist that it becomes a belly rub. The anthro will even kick its legs as their smaller versions do. Cats purr, bird sing (and many avian operas have been known to exist), and rabbits are as sexually active as ever.

GOVERNMENT

Mobian government is run by a bloodline monarchy. The first King of Mobius united all the scattered species into one nation vowing to keep them safe. This family, the Acorns, has ruled over the Mobian society for over a thousand years. The current King and Queen of Mobius are their Royal Highnesses, Max, and his lovely wife Queen Alicia. They are generally well liked by the public and they love them back. The current heir to the throne is the King's son, Elias, who is set to take the throne when he is ready. Their younger daughter, Sally Alicia Acorn, is a fierce politician and is known to enjoy the company of humans. Her personal guard includes many Marine Corps officers.

Below the King and Queen is the House of Parliament. This is described something like the Canadian House of Commons, where a cabinet presides over matters of political importance. However, the King and Queen are not figureheads. They possess impressive power over the House, allowing themselves to overturn any decisions they find to be bad for the good of society.

The Mobians have an ambassador. Ambassador Donnel O'Hara has been the liaison between the two species for five years, right from the very beginning. He has UNSC immunity and he resides in a prestigious embassy on New York's 'Diplomat Row, a street where embassies for many races stand.


	5. Chapter 5: The Humans

Humans

'Homo Sapiens Sapiens'

Home System: Sol

Notable Features:

Small patches of hair

Various skin and eye colors

Diverse

Aggressive

Proud

INTRODUCTION

Of all the races in the galaxy, humans have always been one of the most liked and equally one of the most hated of these races. Many times in the past, Humanity has shown the galaxy it's will to live by shunting aside everything that was thrown at them. World Wars, cataclysms, and even cosmic threats such as meteors have done very little to sway these primates. This begs the question: Why is Humanity valued so much higher than other races, when they are (physically speaking) no different than any other race in the galaxy? The most obvious answer is that humans are three things: Survivors, Adaptors, and Fighters.

Humans have adapted to every environment they have been in. History of the Human homeworld Earth has shown that Paleolithic peoples have been more scattered around the globe, from the tropics to the poles. Humans have also expanded their adaptation to void of space as well. People always assumed that Humans would just fizzle out and die, but they surprise everyone and pick up right where they left off.

Humans also have made the discovery of Slipspace much sooner than other races in the galaxy and fairly soon in their relevant history. Although other races such as the San 'Shyuum have discovered the concept thousands of years earlier, it took them _much _longer to develop thanks to religious dogma.

Humans have a stained history though. For the past thousands of years this relatively young race has had countless wars and battles. The history books are stained with blood both good and ill.

The name 'Homo Sapiens Sapiens' means wise, wise man or wiser man.

HUMAN CIVILIZATION

Humans civilization developed roughly around ten to fifteen thousand years previous, although evidence has shown that some form of civilization existed as far back as thirty five thousand years. One of the oldest human cities on the planet is the city Jericho, located in the New Israeli State. The city is estimated to be around 12,000 years old.

Humans are always interesting to look at. Other races of the galaxy have expressed interest watching over these mammals. There are even documented reports that as far back as five thousand years ago, alien races have been observing these creatures around what the Humans refer to as the Time of Christ (a major religious teacher, Jesus Christ, was born and died during this short time of 33 years).

The major changes didn't start up until the Nineteenth Century when the Industrial revolution was at hand. Years previous, the empires of the globe expanded to as far as what is now known as North America today. Population expanded like a balloon, inflating at ever second.

The discovery of Slipstream Space in 2290 broke the barrier of trans light travel. Thanks to astrophysicists Doctors Tobias Fleming Shaw (ScD, QeD, FRS) and Wallace Fujikawa (ScD, QeD). These two men helped pave the way towards the stars for all humanity.

The first place that humans colonized was the planet Alpha Centauri II nicknamed the AC, because of its relatively mild average temperature. Within fifty years of the discovery, mankind was able to expand its reach to over five hundred worlds. In 2524, the first unofficial contact between aliens and Humans was recorded. On a planet known as Harvest in the Epsilon Indi system, the governor met with a creature (now known as a Jiralhanae or Brute) as well as smaller Kig-Yar or Jackals. The meeting did not go well which resulted in some deaths. The battle for Harvest did not go well with the planet ending up glassed in the end.

The war, known as the Human/Covenenat war which stretched from 2524 to 2552 utterly decimated the Human race. Colony after colony fell as the Humans were pushed back to their home world. Other "observing" races thought this was where humanity was going to be demolished. However, an unexpected play on the parts of the Humans was to start the SPARTAN-II MJOLNIR program, which trained supersoldiers to fight the Covenant. Whole worlds were won back and the Humans won victory after victory.

This came at a price though. By September of 2552, Earth and a few others were the last remaining Human worlds. The population had dwindled to a fraction of its original size of just under a trillion. Exact numbers of the survivors were unknown but people estimate that around 28-30 million survived the conflict.

From there, it was time to rebuild. By the current date, humans (along with newfound Sangheili, Unggoy and Lekgolo allies) have rebuilt society. During the next 600 years, humans began a massive repopulation process at the dislike of some of its religions. Despite this, humanity was able to bolster an incredible 1.77 trillion people. Within a few generations following the war, the population was as high as the population of the Lekgolo (1.98 trillion)

Earth became the center of Human civilization once again. A flourishing empire of over one thousand worlds became a beacon in the galaxy. The Capital of Earth is New York City where the United Nations governs over human space.

THE GALACTIC STAGE

What do Humans; one of those forgotten simian races have to bring to the table? Surprisingly, quite a lot. Humans by nature love to trade. Buying, selling, and sometimes illegally moving things is quite common. Economics was a frequently sought after route back in the colonial days during the 18th Century as well as in the 23rd Century when translight travel became widely commonplace.

Human megacorporations span the galaxy. Whenever somebody buys a vehicle, weapon, or component, chances are a Human company made it. Human automotive companies are the most resilient of these companies. Today, the _Mega Eight_ include of Ford Motors, General Motors Automotive and Aerospace, Daimler-Bausch, Fiat, Kauai Motors, Olympia Manufacturing, Centauri Auto, and Altor Motors.

The Human economy is like a gigantic ocean. Tides are affected regularly causing the level to rise and fall, taking money along with it. Every hundred or so years, a series of recession and economic boom alternates. The worst of all was the Great Depression of '57 when in 2757, the galactic market crashed. Giant companies such as The Galactic Banking Corporation were literally just dozens of points short of filing Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

For the farther out Outer Colonies, especially the New Territory located in the Sagittarius Arm, the hero for these people are the arms companies. A common Settler saying out in the Colonies is that "If it bleeds, you can kill it. If you kill it, shoot one more time just to be sure." The message communicates that there is so much unknown things in the Sagittarius Arm that some conventional weapons might be useless. That's where arms companies come in.

Arms companies, like the Auto companies, have survived many hundreds of years. The oldest of which are Colt Firearms, Fabrique Nationale, and Beretta. Other companies such as SIGARMS, Steyr and IMI have been abandoned and restarted every now and then. Manufacturers other than Earth have their fair share of the action. As of 3238, the manufacturer with the largest collection of military contracts has to be Misriah Armories located in New Legaspi, located on Mars in the Katagalgun country. The M-series of weapons (mainly assault rifles) is the most successful product.

Many people tend to not notice the monstrous revenues these companies bring in, despite the fact that billions of dollars are made each month peddling weapons, ammunition of all calibers and components to repair said weapons. It is a healthy industry.

Also, the Underground world is something to be feared. MercNet, an illegal mercenary trading organization brings in profits by going to the highest bidder, usually to businesses who want the competition eliminated. It's the organization everybody knows exists but does absolutely nothing about because it is claimed to be a "necessary evil in the galaxy".

Humans bring their sheer might to the galaxy. They really had their chance to show what they were made of during the Human/Covenant War. On it's on, a Human is actually quite capable of defending itself, provided it has a good enough weapon, armor and combat awareness. Multiply that to a fire team, they are even better. Multiply that to an entire army and you have something that can be feared and respected. Some species, such as the Sangheili still claim them to be sub par compared to them but still regard humans with respect because of their erratic behaviors and crazy combat tactics.

Moving away from the warfare portion of humanity's involvement, Humans have been known to take stands recently for which they call "The Little Guy". This "Little Guy" represents the undermined and under-appreciated member of the galactic society. After the War, many humans called the International Equality Board (IEB) lobbied for the chance to allow aliens—who wanted it—to become United Nations citizens. The government naturally refused since it was too soon after the war. Humans lobbied, held riots and after a few months and a few destroyed lives later, the government decided to pass the act.

More recently, humans have lobbied for the same thing, except for their Mobian friends who arrived in late 3234. This was passed much more quickly since the government felt comfortable with creatures that were bipedal and only resembled the animals one would find in a backyard. However, outrage erupted again as hate-crimes (See MOBIANSHate Crimes for more info) began to become more noticeable. Thankfully, this has decreased over the past couple of years.

HUMAN REBELS

In every government, there are the malcontents; there are those who wish the current government to be overthrown. These people are known as Rebels. Rebels represent the portion of the Human population who dislike the current government. Officially, there are only about three major Rebel groups scattered throughout Human Space. The largest and possibly most threatening is the United Rebel Front (URF) founded some time in the 23rd Century. The smaller subsection known as the Insurrectionists have popped in and out of history, seemingly disappearing for a century or so but then reviving quickly.

As of recently, very little URF action has been reported. The only known operating base in the galaxy is on a planet orbiting HD 117618 known as Jacinto. As of late, Rebel forces have repeled most UNSC ships that have attempted to enter their space. The goal of the Rebels itself is good in nature. They are simply a group of people who feel opressed by a terracentric government. Their methods of protest however are frowned upon. The rebels have some sympathizers on the Human worlds. Some want to see the demands met so that they won't live in fear of a terrorist attack.

HUMAN POLITICS

It's said that Human politics is somewhat like a game and that the point is to find as many holes as possible in it. Earth is the center of a stellar empire. The nations of Earth are separated by borders and oceans. The capital of Earth is New York City located in the United States. The US is part of a union known as the United Federation which consists of Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Republic of the Carribean. The major nations of Earth are as followed (please note, only major countries are as followed)

**THE UNITED FEDERATION**

Canada

The United States of America

The Mexican Republic

Royal Republic of the Carribean

**REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AMERICA**

Brazil

Argentina

Peru

New Equador

North Venezuela

South Venezuela

Columbia

**THE EUROPEAN UNION**

The United Kingdom

Republic of Ireland

Scotland

The Kingdom of Italy

Portugala

Republic of France

United States of Germany

The United Mediterranian Union

**AFRICAN UNION**

North Africa

The East Affrican Protectorate

The West African Protectotrate

The South Cape

Mombasa

The Saharan Emirate

New Isreal

Palestine

**INDASIA**

The People's Republic of China

Japan

The Indonesian Islands

North Korea

South Korea

India

The Holy State of Tibet

Confederation of Indian Islands

**REPUBLIC OF RUSSIA**

**OCEANIC FEDERATION**

Australia

South Australia

Fiji

Atlantica

**COMMONWEALTH OF ANTARCTICA**

Navano

The Hasbrac Colonies

Blanc

The UNSC is a democratic government headed by a president. The United Nations consists of a delegate from every world human or alien. This allows for a unified and diverse galactic society. The contries have leaders who can make minor decisions but the UN only has the ability and power to declare war on another place or species. Human politics are riddled with loopholes that one can use to his advantage. Aliens like to watch politicians bicker back and forth looking for entertainment.

HUMAN WEAPONS

Human weaponry is one of the things that spreads across the galaxy like a disease. They are among one of the most powerful assets that Humans have to offer and it makes being a friend of this race a great attribute. Human weapons fire mainly lead bullets but other rounds such as Tungsten, Bismuth and Depleted Uranium have been used. Human weapons are blocky, angular and straight edged, mirroring their buildings or starships. They are also laden with electronic sensors, readouts and displays, making them pretty to look at as well as effective at dishing out damage. Humans also have the largest array of weapons ranging from pistols to sniper rifles and everything in between.

Humans also have a sizable nuclear aresenal. Nuclear weapons are a must in the human military. While civilians are not allowed this type or aramnant on their ships thanks to the United Nations Space Warfare Act of 2281, merchant navies and paramilitary groups have permission to have Archer Class Missiles, HAVOC and NIMH nukes as well as the ASGM Series of Ship to Ship missile systems.

HUMAN RELIGION

Humanity currently holds the record for the largest number of religions of the entire known galaxy. To date, there are approximately 3,281 separate religions and sects to said religions. Most of them revolve around a monotheistic viewpoint of one Supreme Being most commonly referred to as God. The largest religion is Catholicism which has established itself as both the best and pickiest religion in Human space. There are about 220 billion devout Catholics in UNSC space, the second largest religion is the Islam faith spanning around 200 billion devout members. Number three is Buddhism with 150 billion.

The actual larger portion of citizens is either atheists or agnostic. Since humanity discovered life on other planets that had their own views of Creation, it contradicted thousands of years of teaching. Even more shocking was that there was a figure that was shockingly similar to Jesus Christ. This trend appeared more than once. Armed with this new knowledge, many people turned their backs on organized religion to simply live their lives without influence.


	6. Chapter 6: The Cyborgs

Cyborgs

'Homo Falsum'

Home System: No Direct Origin

Features

Half Organic

Half Machine

Prejudiced

INTRODUCTION

Cyborgs are organisms who are half machine and half a living creature. The actual word Cyborg is a contraction of the terms cybernetic and organic. Cyborgs themselves are not considered a race but as an offshoot of sorts. beings from all over the galaxy have often replaced parts of their bodies with cybernetic parts to increase their effectiveness or to try and lead normal lives. Cyborgs are not regarded very highly in most cultures and are often feared by many people. Thus, they are often more comfortable around their own kind.

ORIGINS

The concept of a cyborg is thousands of years old. Some races, such as the Garim (See Article GARIM) and the Eylyds (See Article EYLYDS) have had cybernetic prosthetics for well over three thousand years. Creatures such as Humans (See Article HUMANS) and the Gallvente (See Article GALLVENTE) have had them relatively for much shorter times, around two thousand and five hundred years respectively. This of course refers to physical prosthetics and not cybernetic or electronic replacements used today.

As such a large ammount of races have the capability of cybernetic limb replacement, there is no accurate way to determine where in fact they originated from, but many historians find it safe to assume that the Forerunners (Also called the Prodromus in their own language), an ancient and enigmatic race that has long been extinct, has had the technology to do such things as well, although some also some believe that the Precursors, another advanced civilization had much more powerful medical technologies, although some have cited the Fermi Paradox (See Article FORERUNNERS, PRECURSORS, FERMI PARADOX) to justify the lack of evidence supporting such a civilization.

In spite of this, most races herald themselves as the best race to create cybernetic enhancements.

There are actually races that refuse to have their bodies enhanced with prosthetics, the most notable being the Lyshad (See Article LYSHAD) because of their deep religious beliefs that such enhancements make them 'false' or 'untrue'. Another example is the Shi'Kri'Lash (See Article SHI'KRI'LASH) who are bound by tribal instincts and views, who also find such enhancements as blasphemous, despite having the ability to have space travel long before their expected time.

TYPES OF CYBORGS

There are generally three stages of Cyborgs in the galaxy. These terms are relatively agreed upon and are used when consulting people and teaching them about what a cyborg is and how they function and operate.

TYPE 1: SUBTLE ENHANCEMENT

The first stage of cybernetic enhancement is the Subtle stage. This is the stage that requires the least ammount of change to be made to the body. This can include non-cloned organs such as an electronic heart or pacemaker, blood substitutes, or even a few small prosthetics like those for fingers lost in work accidents or combat, or even an atrificial eyeball. These work mostly through connecting them to nervous systems. They don't necessarily need to be directly implanted like the crude models used in the early 20th-21st Century but can interface with the nerves

through special pads that absorb electronic pulses sent by the brain. These generally recieve the least scorn from the public as they are al very subtle and victims are still almost entirely human.

TYPE 2: MODERATE ENHANCEMENT

The second stage of cybernetic enhancement usually has all the prerequisites for a Type One cyborg, and something extra. According to various medical journals, a Type Two cyborg usually has part or all of an entire limb replaced. This may or may not also include cybernetic enhancements to internal or external organs, such as an extention of the Pituitary gland located in the hypothalmus which regulates many things such as growth, function of sexual organs and metabolism. This could enhance height, speed, and the effectiveness or muscle buildup or a willing replacement of the arms to enhance lifting of heavy objects or coordination much better than a human brain could accomplish.

These recieve relatively more scorn than other because while some enhancements may be of necessity because of accidents, others are of choice and this is generally translated in a socialogical standpoint as a way to further themselves from humanity.

TYPE 3: MAJORITY ENHANCEMENT

This third and final stage of cybernetic prosthetics and enhancements is the most controvertial and arguably the most dangerous of all the stages. In this stage, the person recieving the enhancements usually replace up to or more than 50 percent of their total body including the internal and external organs. such things can include replacing all of the manipulating limbs with robotic counterparts, replacing eyes with a multitude of sensors, even going as far as enhancing their bodies with metal bones and cybernetic CPUs and algorithms inserted into their brains, effectively becoming more machine and human.

This is considered the epitomie of enhancement and is almost certainly shunned by society because by definition, they are no longer a being but more leaning towards machines themselves. Because of this, many of these cyborgs come to hate the more organic life and live with a more electronic and automaton style of living.

CYBORG COMMUNITIES

Then where in the galaxy can these creatures live without fear of being segrigated? The answer seems to be among the stars. The largest of all-cyborg communities seem to be on planets far removed from the Inner Colonies. Places such as HD 102272 c located in the constellation Leo 1,200 light years away from Earth dubbed "New Mechania" are places where Majority and Moderate Cyborgs live among each other without fear of prejudice. As custom dictates here, not very many Baseines (the word describing non-cybernetically enhanced individuals) are allowed to roam among the cities with few exceptions such as people there on Good Faith missions to assure that not everybody in the galaxy despise cyborgs.

Smaller cyborg communities are shown in self-suffieient spaceships or space stations where they are in relative peace travelling among the stars, not stopping except for repairs and supplies. They are generally left alone as long as they and Baselines don't mix for too long. Otherwise, these nomadic machine men are on fairly good terms with the Subtles and Baselines.

REASON TO FEAR

The question goes through every cyborg's head when they encounter a frightened Baseline 'Why do they hate me?' The answer lies in the appearence first off. Many sentient races fear that which is different. According to the human Dr. Keith Price-Robinson (B.S., PhD, MFS, FRS) of Sussex, England, and the Gallvent professor Thayor Kimbal Hasbrask Lout Quyn (PhD, FIS (Fellow of the Intergalactic Society), QeD) in 2615 that the appearence of a creature that is modified past the point where [logically speaking] they are no longer an organic life form, non-augmented individuals see this as the "shadow" or "nightmare" of existence, living as the exact physical opposite of corporeal life but still retaining animate activity.

Price-Robinson also stated that there was no real reason to fear the creatures which were called Cyborgs because in essence, they were still completely organic but with a different physical shell, and that it all depended on the mind and whether they could deduce reasoning or compassion. Despite the signs that cyborgs still have plenty of emotion, society still is frightened by them simply because they are different. Fear seems to have gotten to the heads of some augmented organics. Out of sheer madness, some have lost all control of reason and basically do become machine because with the mind shattered, the robotic body of algorithms and subroutines takes over.

These are the individuals who orchestrated the Cyborg Uprising of 2718, a five month conflict in which a group of Type 2 and Type 3 cyborgs lobbied for the right to be citizens. The leader of this Uprising, a Type Three cyborg named Johann Eberstark led the charge. Their request was refused and they went on a spree of destruction which eventually was defeated. Seventy five years later, the United Nations agreed that Type Two Cyborgs had the right to be citizens but Type Three Cyborgs were still denied the right. To this day, the Unified Earth Government has not agreed to rectify this decree.


	7. Chapter 7: The Forerunners

FORERUNNERS

"Apenses Caelitis"

Home System: Unknown

Features:

Enigmatic

Mysterious

Innovative

Extinct

INTRODUCTION

Most, if not all of the races in the galaxy have the Forerunners to thank in one-way or another. These creatures were the first known race in existence to develop the Slipspace drive and achieve transluminal speed. The Forerunners reached their peak roughly 101,682 years ago. It was at this time they discovered the parasitic alien life form called The Flood (See Article THE FLOOD). The parasite made its first appearance on a world known as G 617 g in an unknown solar system. This led to a 300 year war which ended with the possible extinction of the Forerunner species.

The name Forerunner is the given name for these creatures. Their true name is 'Prodromus'. Some people reading this may realize that this is a familiar translation because it is actually the Latin name for Forerunner. This has caused some to speculate on whether the Forerunners influenced Humanity's languages as they already revolutionized interstellar travel for many other races.

The name "Apenses Caelitis" means "Absent Gods" in Latin. This was considered a prudent name because on account of many races, they looked at the Forerunners as gods of sorts and the Covenant Remnant still views them as such. The absent portion simply states that there are no more Forerunner to be seen in the galaxy.

EXTENT OF INTELLIGENCE

The Forerunners were no doubt extremely intelligent and enlightened. According to their ancient texts recovered from Terminals scattered all over the galaxy, Forerunner influence spread from one spiral arm to the other. They were master builders and are thus far, the only known Worldcrafters, beings that were able to create a whole world artificially.

This is best seen through the Halos. The Halos were originally designed as superweapons created as a last ditch effort to stop the Flood from taking over the galaxy. These rings, seven in total, stood shaped much like a child's hula hoop approximately ten thousand kilometers in diameter and around twenty six kilometers thick. The Halos had varying environments according to design and desire from the builders.

The ways these rings destroyed all life was unknown, but scientists theorize that the main element was, in fact, light itself. According to current studies conducted at the Intergalactic University of Historical Studies located on Draco II, scientists claim that the installations generated enough light and heat to effectively kill every single living creature in the galaxy. The question was how they were able to accelerate the photons so that the galaxy was instantaneously wiped. That is still under investigation despite over six hundred years of study.

As of today, the Halos are deactivated thanks to a SPARTAN II supersoldier named John-117 in mid-2552, who shut down all the installations from the core, Installation 00, the Ark.

The Ark is also an amazing piece of artificial architecture. After the second Installation 04 was prematurely activated, the Ark was thought destroyed. Installation 00 actually survived although badly ravaged by firestorms for decades. The automated repair systems allowed the Ark to be rebuilt, minus it's function to create new Halo rings primed and ready to fire.

The Forerunner ability to manipulate Slipspace was second to none. These creatures had the amazing ability to slice through spacetime much like a doctor using a scalpel. Distances of fifty light years were able to be travelled in one day. What puzzled physicists were whether they could actually go faster than the Speed of Light? According to Einstein's Theory of Infinite Relativity no, but then again, they have had the ability to create Slipspace pockets that are tiny enough to fit a single person into, such as a cryopod.

APPEARANCE AND LANGUAGE

Both of these things are not widely known by the world. The appearance of the Forerunners was always a mystery and locating an accurate picture of them has been increasingly difficult. Such minor things such as handprints have been found which appears shockingly similar to humans with four fingers, and two thumbs on each side.

The lack of apparent visual representations possibly suggests that Forerunners had no pictures to represent themselves, highly unlikely considering the artistic inclination the society has obviously shown, but at the same time valid since the Forerunners leaned towards architectural art rather than expression of ones self.

Language was equally difficult at first to interpret. Some races had the privilege to evolve on such worlds where Forerunner artifacts were common and thus adopted the language. However, they only _interpreted_ these symbols. The actual meaning of them is much more surprising.

The Covenant was the first to use Forerunner script as a language although Humanity was the first to successfully translate it. It appears that the pronunciation of the script shares many similarities of a language that evolved on Earth, Latin. Forerunner AI drones called Sentinels have often vocally conversed in Latin using such phrases as _non sequitor_ and _erratum_. This leads experts to believe that Forerunners and Humans shared a bond of some sort some 100,000 years ago.

THE PRECURSORS

The Forerunners were supposedly not the first galactic civilization to rise from the primordial dust. According to Forerunner belief and terminals, a race called the Precursors came before the Forerunners.

Unlike the Forerunners who left us many things to assure us of their existence, there is very little to no evidence that the Precursors even existed. According to Forerunners, the Precursors were at their peak some five hundred thousand years ago, placing them as one of the most ancient civilizations ever theorized.

The problem with this is that we simply cannot tell. It is a cold, cruel fact that everything in the galaxy functions on a cycle or rebuilding. This rebuilding often is made on the foundations already left behind. A perfect example would be the Gallvente (See Article GALLVENTE) in which the society built itself on the Covenant and Human technology already left behind. A contemporary example perhaps but a sufficient one.

Some people have enacted an idea called the Fermi Paradox. The Fermi Paradox is intended as a way to base whether there really is an advanced civilization among the stars. Hundreds of years ago, this was made to explain why or why not aliens came to visit planets or if they even existed at all. Naturally this theory was reconsidered following the discovery of the Covenant in 2524 where they simply didn't know and weren't interested in us until the Harvest Incident where they began their holy war against humans.

However, with a lack of artifacts belonging to the Precursors present or small, unidentifiable bits of it, some conclude that the Precursors are simply a type of theological aspect of Forerunner culture, even citing what the Forerunners called "The Mantle" as a religious instance where the role of Protectors of the Galaxy fell on them. Even some Forerunner doubted the Mantle.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Conventional wisdom says that the Forerunners are all dead and gone. This is not completely true. While the Forerunners themselves are physically extinct, there are still creations that may hold some presence of the Forerunners. AIs such as ones that inhabit Forerunner Halos, Shield Worlds and important installations are perfect sources for information about the Forerunner culture and while very rare, Terminals can also provide knowledge and insight on how the Forerunners functioned as a society.

The best way to gain information and perspective on the Forerunners is to visit a building itself. Forerunners have an art style that deals with mostly angular designs that are captivating. Abandoned Universities built onto cliff edged have intrigued scientists and historians on what they did here.

THE GREAT JOURNEY

Possibly one of the greatest myths and undeniably one of the greatest misconceptions is the Great Journey of the Forerunners. According to the Covenant, the Forerunners activated the scared rings and transcended the physical, becoming gods in one swift motion. The sacred rings refer, of course, to the seven Halos that are scattered around the Galaxy. And the supposed "ascension" was the act of desperation in which the Forerunners committed mass genocide in order to protect the galaxy from the Flood.

How this transformed into an elegance ascension story is because of ideals that were mixed together following a long war between the Sangheili and the San'Shyuum called the Age of Conflict which ended in the formation of the Covenant revolving around the idea of similar ascension if these rings were activated and all who were faithful would become gods.


	8. Chapter 8: The Alydes

THE ALYDES

"Liberi Noctis"

Home System: WASP-12 (J'thula)

Physical Features:

Pointy eared

Human-like

Hate bright sunlight

INTRODUCTION

The Alydes (pronounced EH-LID-ES) are a relatively human-like race hailing from the planet Ch'chukta (CUH-CHUUK-TAH) in the WASP-12 system. Ch'chukta is the sixth and second outermost of all planets in the WASP-12 system with a diameter just five hundred kilometers smaller than Earth. Since it is the second farthest out in WASP-12, it is remarkably cold, orbiting at a distance of 7 AUs from the primary star.

The Alydes are famous for their similarities to the human race. On first inspection, they appear to be nearly identical. The only differences are that the Alydes have pointed ears and rather large pupils, more oval shaped than circular.

The name "Liberi Noctis" is Latin for "Children of Night". This name was given on account of this race living in perpetual twilight on their planet.

APPEARANCE

The Alydes are a race that seem much similar to that of Humans than most of the other races such as those of the Covenant Hegemony or the Gallvante. They look much like the creatures found in children's fairy tales, namely elves. Because of this, they have earned the nickname "Elves" or "Nightfolk" in accordance to their culture and planet.

Despite the resemblance, there is nothing mythical about these creatures apart from the relatively long lifespan of 215 average years, with the age of adulthood beginning around 50 years.

The biological functions are quite different as well. Due to a fair amount of methane in the atmosphere, their blood has more of a bluish tinge to it and it is slightly bioluminescent. A thin layer of fat surrounds their bodies giving them warmth but it doesn't seem to overall affect their outer personas.

In terms of height, the Alydes stand at an average six feet high. About five inches taller than their human look-alikes. Ch'chukta's smaller diameter allows them to grow to a taller stature.

BLENDING IN

The Alydes evolved on a planet far from their sun, it is comparable to the distance of Uranus from Sol. Because of this, it is very dark and very cold. The average temperature on Ch'chukta is a relatively balmy -70 degrees Celsius. With a combination of dark and freezing, this makes Alydes one of the most environmentally picky creatures in the galaxy.

On other planets that are closer to their suns, Alydes either A) Retreat indoors where ambient light is much lower or B) wear thick sunglasses that protect their eyes. The sunglasses are much more popular than the common person believes and it is, in fact a major fashion craze for these creatures.

Also present is the issue of temperature. Since Ch'chukta is a sub-zero iceball, the Alydes are obviously attached to the nippy climate. When they are off their world, they often wear less clothing. It is not uncommon for Alydes to wear muscle shirts and shorts and call it "formal attire".

Also, when operating in the field, Alyde soldiers often wear bulky combat armor which is supercooled with liquid methane to keep their body temperature below the level where they need it to be to survive. If an Alyde were to be out in temperatures above 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20C) for more than ten minutes, they would suffer moderate to severe sunburns (or in the case of night time high temperatures, extreme dehydration), collapse and suffer cardiac arrest.

Because of this, their appearance is limited to nighttime. One would most likely find them in this timeframe and in dark buildings, likely nightclubs because their ears are conditioned for high decibel levels (snow and ice storms are common on Ch'chukta). And on interstellar trade routes along the Deep Space Trade Runs

AYLEDIC GOVERNMENT

The Alyde Assembly is the main driving force behind this alien race. The Assembly is headed by a leader known as The One. The One is chosen through a particularly brutal method known as 'Jatphesto' or 'Bloodsport'. In which all hopefuls are pitted against each other until only one is standing.

This sport is the only trace of primitive gladiatorial based "politics". According to historical studies, many issues were resolved with Jatphesto from major political instabilities to minor crimes. In spite of this, the Alyde culture is one of the most civilized, if not _the_ most civilized in the galaxy

The One has an incredible amount of power behind his or her rule. They have the ability to command all armies on the planet and send them wherever they want whenever they want. Also, all additions to the Dark Fleet (The name they give their Navy) must go through the One's jurisdiction.

The One appoints his own ambassadors to be UN Ambassadors. Currently, about three ambassadors are on Earth, Ambassadors Halios Bhex Logos, Beah Quiln Xost, and Lahgan Vohg Jamaal. These three have been on the UN Board of Delegates for over ten years.

Overall, the Alydes have been a part of the United Nations for over ten years, but they had been known for around twenty. They share a relative favoritism for their close resemblance to humanity.

CONTRIBUTIONS

The Alydes have a knack for designing Powered Armor and Evo (Environmental) Suits. Due to them requiring a cold environment, Evo Suits are designed to simulate their homeworld's living conditions. This can also work the other way around. Alyde manufacturers quickly produced suits for non-Alyde races like Humans, Mobians, and even Sangheili. These suits are primarily used for planets where the environment is generally hostile (toxins in atmosphere, airless space, crushing ocean depths, etc) and requires the aid of suits.

These suits have much more quality than the second leading brand, Rosenkov Military Armories, based out of Minsk which has respectable but less impressive suits

Alyde weaponry is derived from methods of magnetic acceleration, driving a solid slug with magnets. Ch'chukta is unfortunately not as metal rich as its three satellites or the neighboring planets which restricted their development of chemical weaponry. Once the space age was underway though, massive development took place, including larger cities and construction of numerous arcologies and one space elevator.

These Gauss weapons are available all throughout the UN territories and the UEG specifically. The leading arms manufacturer, Massek Armories, holds a respectable level in the Galactic Stock Exchange selling to both military and private contractors.

Alydes have also improved the general galactic communication standards used today. It was they who made First Contact with humanity. The Humans who responded to these hails were impressed that they were able to communicate on the same frequency. These methods are used for superluminal communications through virtually mass free tubes of space-time combining quantum and particle physics to achieve this.

SIMILARITIES

Ever since First Contact with the UNSC Frontier Corps cruiser _Shogun_, Humans began to notice that the Alydes have a very strong similarity with the Earth based creatures. This led to inquiries and expeditions with the Alydes, who were able to grasp English within weeks of the encounter.

On Ch'chukta in 2919, UNSC excavation teams encountered Forerunner ruins buried in the ice roughly seven hundred miles south of the Arctic Circle. These ruins looked remarkably similar to the now-deactivated Ark Portal located in South Africa. This raises the hypothesis that either Humans or Alydes are genetically similar and were possibly tampered with by Forerunners (see Article FORERUNNERS) or possibly even the Precursors if they even existed. Pure genetic analysis says not, but delving even deeper into genome mapping shows that there are some similarities within the 92.821 percentile.

It is unlikely that the Alydes are Humans genetically altered, but perhaps the Forerunners used similar uplifting methods to make them what they are today. In spite of this, the Alydes are not considered very much higher than they are today.


	9. Chapter 9: The Lyshad

THE LYSHAD

"Amplus Lacerta"

Homeworld: Zeta Tauri (Shh'khan)

Physical Features:

Reptilian

Religious

Strong

INTRODUCTION

The Lyshad (LEE-SHAAD) are a race that hails from the star system Zeta Tauri colloquially known as "Estherim" by the humans, located 417 light-years from Earth. Until their discovery in the early 32nd Century, there was no knowledge of a habitable planet anywhere within the system as the planet where the Lyshad evolved on was tidally locked and far before the planet's habitable zone. It was actually a Lyshad delegate who initiated First Contact with the human supply vessel _Agoraphobia_. The stunned captain who had no experience in politics much less social activities with an alien race formally invited the delegate through binary sequence to come back to Earth with them-along with three warships.

At first, the UNSC believed they were under attack and sent a small battle group of their own ships to investigate. This led to a small, bloodless stand-off which eventually led to a treaty of friendship. The Lyshad would be the fourth to join the UNSC, along with the Gallvente, the Sangheili and the Unngoy.

The name "Amplus Lacerta" literally means Giant Lizard in English. They are called this because their size, shape, and outward appearence makes them somewhat comparable to Dinosaurs which roamed Earth millions of years ago, and it was true that the Lyshad followed a similar evolutionary path as well.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The Lyshad were one of those rare species to 'beat the odds', mainly because their homeworld, translated roughly to 'Land of Sun' was located far closer to the sun than the habitable zone permitted. One half of the planet's surface was a molten wasteland, with rivers of magma forming in large oceans hundreds of miles wide. On the opposite side, the temperatures are a _mere_ 150 degrees Farahnheit. By chance, this was where the biochemical process of life took place.

The typical Lyshad stands about seven feet. They are covered in scaly hide that covers all of their body. Being lizard-like, they have a cold-blooded behavior meaning that they adjust their body temperature in accordance to the environment that they are in, very suiting since it would cause problems living with an extremely high body temperature in a lower-level temperature. They consider some areas on Earth as 'uninhabitable'. They considere the Sahara and Kalahari to be the best places to reside because of their high temperatures. They also prefer worlds that are closer to their respective stars, tidal locked planets are a bonus.

The Land of Sun is three times as massive as Earth and almost twice the diameter. Thus being said, they are very strong. In a normal 1G environment, they are able to lift five times their own body weight and jump almost twice their height. However, their eyesight is limited due to the very bright reflected light that comes off their three moons in which two of them orbit around the planet almost simultaniously, providing a fairly effective "day/night" cycle.

Being lizard-like, it was surprising to find out that the Lyshad had opposable thumbs, a feature commonly found on mammilian-like creatures, or a variation of a mammal. This tiny digit changed the fate of evolution for this race. With this thumb, the Lyshad are able to brandish weapons and use complex controls lesser species with no thumbs cannot operate.

LANGUAGE

The language itself seems more of gutteral noises produced somewhat by creatures of Earth. Lizards qualify here as some hissing and gutteral tones are present there as well. The basic syntax structure is hard to observe unless one has had formal and extensive teachings on the nature of the language. The basic premise is that the speakers always refer to themselves in either the first or third person. The conditions of this context changes depending on the subjects and predicates of the sentence.

[For a more detailed account of the mysterious Lyshad language, please purchase _A Guide to the Grammer of the Galaxy_, by Antoine D'Ecolette]

The Lyshad can speak English quite. Learning alternate English dialects is tougher. Based on a poll carried out circa. 3109, the vast majority of Lyshad prefered to speak Earth English and second was the Constance Dialect, a mixture of English and Bavarian German.

WEAPONRY

Being a war-like race in origin, the Lyshad like fighting. The main type of weaponry seems to be blunt-edged weaponry, an archaiac form of offense, considering the Technological Tier of the species is well within Spacefaring. This isn't to say that projectile weaponry are not used, just not as common. Some consider it an act of honor to meet your opponent on the battlefield. Other Lyshad disagreed.

Lyshad projectile weapons are, first and foremost, heavy. A Lyshad _pistol_ was reported to weigh up to eleven pounds. An equivilant to the assault rifle is over 20 pounds. A minigun weighs over 50 pounds. This makes sense because of their strength. Non-Lyshads are not encouraged to use these weapons.

The guns fire nearly pure lead bullets. Lead is one of the more common elements on the Land of Sun. They are also very large in terms of caliber. A standard Lyshad bullet has a UNSC caliber equivilant to .75. This is much larger than anything the UNSC has short of an anti-tank rifle. Swords, much like guns are not entirely unheard of but do not have very much place in Lyshad warfare. Reason being is that Lyshad skin functions like midieval chain-mail, blocking most bladed weaponry except for a direct hit, nearly perpendicular to the skin.

There is a high appeal in merely posessing a Lyshad sword. Blacksmiths of the planet fashion swords out of shiny titanium metal and offer it to other species. Humans seem to be the ones who enjoy having these swords. Having one of these amazing swords on a den wall can gain considerable bragging rights for the owner. Other races such as the Sangheili use them for combat use because of their durability and sheer power. A Lyshad shortsword can cost upwards of GSD $300,000 (street price) and claymores can cost GSD $500,000.

MILITARY SOCIETY

The Lyshad are first and foremost a warrior race. Historical studies suggest that they have been fighting amongst themselves for over ten thousand years. This troubled history involved stronger, dominant tribes either exterminating or absorbing smaller, weaker tribes. Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection is seen in action every day.

The chief of the military is the Queen. She has the ability to communicate

with the leaders of the military. Xenobiologists are unsure of how this exactly works but speculation assumes that the Queen has some degree of telepathy. Her Royal Highness however denied permission to have a brainwave scan. Requests are still being made.

The ranking structure is oddly simple. There are three major ranks: There are the Soldiers, which are the major combat caste. They are extensively trained and are ready to fight for anything. They have been humerously compared to "_Spetsnaz_ mixed with _The Incredible Hulk_". The second caste is the Leaders. These are the Officers although they do not have individual ranks, rather they are a different corps all together. Above these are the Chief Leaders, the Generals. Only a few of these appear on the battlefields and advise the troops. They are responsible for the coordination of all the troops. They recieve orders directly from the Queen Herself.

STARSHIPS

The starsips of the Lyshad Navy are comparable to 24th Century Earth ships. They do not utilize artificial gravity genertators as they do not know how to capture and utilize graviton particles. Thus, their ships function through centrifuge. Swinging sections of the ships simulate a 3.0 G environment. Creatures of less dense worlds do not feel quite at home while on these ships.

They do have the ability to use weapons in space. They have projectile weaponry and even primitive laser technology, which function to lower shields of enemy vessels, and then attack with mass driver-like weapons. As a rule, Lyshad generally make their ships atmosphere capable since then shuttles would be more expensive to make. They have no shortage of radiation shielding since thick coats of nearly pure lead paint keep out most waves of radiation especially exuded by the large gas giant in the system, which is hidden by the biary suns on it's long 1,623 year orbit.

TRADING

Despite their rather warlike nature, the Lyshad are quite apt traders. In their area of space, The metal-rich asteroid belt that flows nearly perpendicular to the orbital route of The Land of Sun contains many such minerals like Uranium, Copper, Iron, as well as a mineral unique to this area of space called Thesrot, a metal that has the durability of copper, but is a poor conductor, which makes it great for electric containment. All these are traded with their partners the Garim (See Article GARIM)

Humans are also ideal trade partners because they like metals to build their starships or buildings. They also had the best goods. Since Humans had a large handhold in space mining skills, they had plenty of Helium-3, an isotope that is mined from gas giants to power fusion reactors.

Despite this, they get on fine with other races. It seems that the only races they have trouble with are the Shi'Kri'Lash (See Article SHI'KRI'LASH), but they seem more of a common enemy as they hate _everyone_, and th races of the Covenant Remnant (See Article COVENANT), who keep trying to accomplish their goal of starting the Great Journey (See Article FORERUNNERSGREAT JOURNEY)

RELIGION

The Lyshad are very religious, moreso than many of the other races. According to public opinion, the Lyshad are the second religious in Known Space, the first being the Covenant. The Lyshad are not blinded by their faith as the Remnant is, but keep it in check and do _not_ commit jihads in the name of extinct Gods.

The major figure is the Goddess. The Lyshad Union is maternally-based. The Goddess is attributed to keeping them alive on the darker side of the Land of Sun. Temples have been built in her name along the terminator of the planet. Once every ten years, the most devout embark on a pilgrimage to these temples and spend seven days in the warmth of Shh'Khan, believing that the rays of the sun will make them strong and hardy.

Nobody is foolish enough to travel beyond the terminator. Only a few have ever done so and to public knowledge, there is only one recorded settlement of the Black Lyshad, a sub-race that evolved with darker skin to fend off the crazy heat. The settlement lies in a desert where they also pray to the Goddess for keeping them alive on the _bright_ side of the planet


	10. Chapter 10: The Shi'Kri'Lash

THE SHI'KRI'LASH

"Pravus Astrum"

Home System: 16 Tauri

Features:

Mysterious

Introverted

Deadly

Barbaric

Possibly Cannibalistic

INTRODUCTION

it is considered an exobiologist's toughest assignment trying to tackle studying the Shi'Kri'Lash (SHEEKREE-LASH), the closest thing one could describe to a stellar devil. The Shi'Kri'Lash reside on the planet of Gwherag'Massj (Roughly translates to The Cradle) located in the 16 Tauri system roughly 430 light-years away from Earth. The system was originally dismissed the system as 'uninhabitable' due to 16 Tauri being a white-blue sub-giant, exuding massive temperatures in excess of 12,800 Kelvin.

Visited in 2717, the system was originally scrutinized because of it's double asteroid belt, a rarity for most stellar systems, even more interesting is the fact that both asteroid belts rotate opposite of each other, one spinning a different way than another.

The problem was the heat. As mentioned in the paragraph above, 16 Tauri is a very hot star. To make matters worse, the densest of the belts is only a few Astronomical Units away from its primary, making attempts to mine them-and quoting the actual After-Action Report from the UNSC Probe Department-"suicide, and crazy".

The Cradle is the second planet inwards, hovering just outside boarders of the first belt. This mud-grey, carbon dioxide choked rock is the birthplace of the most disturbing race in the whole galaxy.

The vernacular for this race, "Pravus Astrum" means "Evil of the stars" or "Stellar evil" This was made to describe the xenophobic tendency and the outright level of slaughter that was committed on the Human researchers. However, some other races claim that the Shi'Kri'Lash were reacting as any tribal race would when seeing something like this.

This provided the counter argument by exobiologist David Abdullah (PhD), of the American University in Cairo,

"Many races, such as the Sangheili looked among those that appeared in the ancient past as gods or deities that could be worshiped, such as we did when humanity was still in it's infant stage. We thought those who came from the sky were gods and treated them as such. No…I think this is a violent race, an _evil_ race, one that should not be fooled with."

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

The Shi'Kri'Lash is a humanoid race. They stand roughly around 4 feet, 8 inches and weigh in a somewhat feathery 172 lbs average. However, they have slippery flesh, seemingly made so by fluids naturally produced by the body. They are resilient to most forms of damage such as ballistic fire and will take a number of hits before bleeding even slightly. To record, few Shi'Kri'Lash have been killed but no bodies could be recovered for an autopsy.

These aliens are highly secretive, and in a very violent way, shy. They prefer to keep their features hidden from view by a mask, seemingly made with clay or something very much like it. They seem to have hair of sorts and prefer to tie it in dreadlocks.

They have six fingers on their hands, four jutting forward from the palm and two stubby thumbs that appear on opposite sides. They do not seem flexible and seem only comfortable with their swords.

A Shi'Kri'Lash face has rarely been seen. Based on amateur snapshots of corpses, they have deep red eyes, almost pinpoints when viewed from a distance. This can possibly be from living on a planet close to the sun, allowing less light to enter the eyes.

It is difficult to tell apart a male from a female. The best way to do this is with the masks off. The females usually have little to no dreadlocks. Their bodies are more slender but they are devoid of most usual female characteristics such as mammary glands or other female genitals. Of course, research into this race is not a major concern to the UNSC so progress has been slow.

EVOLUTION

The interesting question is how ANYTHING could survive on The Cradle's surface is a quest on its own. There have been no accounts of any race ever showing evolution on a planet where the atmosphere is composed of more than 50% Carbon Monoxide. A popular theory among exobiologists is that the Shi'Kri'Lash are descendants from certain species of **extremophiles**, allowing them to brave the gas that is belched from the planet's inner mantle by volcanic vents. There is also about a 21% composition of Nitrogen in the atmosphere. In theory, a Shi'Kri'Lash could breathe the air of a planet such as Earth with nothing more than moderate to severe asthma affecting them.

The race itself has remained tribal since its early stages which have been placed to approximately 12,000 BCE, right when the first Human cities started to appear on the planet, when the San'Shyuum began their evolution and the first Lyshad boat sailed from the shores of their home-world. This means that, according to Mobian-born ancient sociologist Taylor G. Chandler (PhD, FIS), they should have shared a similar evolution structure in keeping with **Kardashev's Technological Tier System**.

It appeared though that Kardashev has been spit at in the face. The Shi'Kri'Lash did NOT advance in any way on the Civilization Scale, currently estimated to be at 0.006. (in stark comparison, Humanity is at around 2.51, a Type II civilization) This is very much behind the expected level of a civilization that has existed for so long.

However, it should be noted that the Cradle is a metal-poor planet, with the majority of the crust being made up of silicates. No oceans exist on the planet and large deserts cover the globe up to the 40th Parallel. It was a wonder ANY sort of civilization had the misfortune of evolving on this desolate rock.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Contrary to popular belief, one does exist on the planet. The tribal structure of the Shi'Kri'Lash causes the people to feel a constant state of isolation and separation. Most tribes do not talk to one another and those that do are usually trade partners.

Children are treated as if they are already adults and a strong emphasis is made on hunting and fighting as some tribes are at constant warfare. Based on observations, children are not seen as genetic continuity, but _reserves_. When the children reach an old enough age, they are sent to battle other tribes. If some die, more are born to replace them.

These aliens are ruthlessly religious, it would be accurate to liken them to the Dark Ages in which religion was law and anybody who thought differently was killed. They value the spirit of the Hunt, believing it to empower them with the shockingly efficient killing that they have become infamous for. It was figured out that they are also **xenophobic**; when arriving explorers went to see this planet in the winter of 2717, they were killed almost immediately after making contact and their ship was stripped of parts.

The deaths of these human explorers greatly riled up the UNSC. A destroyer was immediately sent to patrol the area. Three days after arrival, all contact with the destroyer was lost.

SPACE TRAVEL

A truly frightening thought; when told about this from survivors of the destroyed UNSC destroyer made it back from the Cradle, many people dismissed this thought as absurd, that it didn't hold its water, that it was impossible. This was a reasonable thought. One would not think that a civilization still in the tribal stages of evolution could apparently develop space travel.

Unfortunately, this was true.

Since the opportunity to fully study the Shi'Kri'Lash is little more than difficult, some of these accounts were made by accident. Based on rare views of the spacecraft itself, they do not match the race's aescetic styles. This will be covered in the next section.

It is not known what is more disturbing, the fact that they _have_ space travel, or the fact that they are _good_ at using it. The Shi'Kri'Lash are naturals at utilizing these unique ship designs. The ships function on N.I.C. (Neural Impulse Control) frequencies, meaning that the pilot has to _jack into_ the ship through neural sensor nodes. This method of control allows fluid control of a ship through three dimensions of travel.

The Shi'Kri Lash territory is small, minute at best. They only control about ten to fifteen systems thanks to this travel, and they can survive in most environments due to the Shi'Kri'Lash technically being extremophiles. However, they are not gaining any serious ground because they are not prepared to take on the intelligent races of the galaxy.

From the opposite standpoint, the other races consider the Shi'Kri'Lash vermin, incapable of a good challange. The UNSC sees no need to exterminate them as they are too far away, the Sangheili won't exterminate them because they have _too little honor_, the Mobians are just too plain _frightened _of them to go and confront them, and everyone else just doesn't want to get involved. Better to jest let these creatures go about their business.

OUTSIDE INFLUENCE

In 2905, Archeological digs on the planet codenamed "STUKA" revealed an alien spacecraft. It did not match any known alien spacecraft, even the Forerunners or the Precursors (See Article FORERUNNERPRECURSORS). On close inspection, the only part that would be recognizable to some races would be the cockpit, which sesembles some atmospheric craft with the shape of the nose and two airfoils that proturde on two sides of the nose.

The pieces were put together in 2950, where a final evaluation was made that the Shi'Kri'Lash were influenced by an alien race, not nearly as advanced as the Forerunners, but a race that achieved the class of an **Observer**. The evidence shows that a few craft were landed on the Cradle's surface and simply left there. It apparently lasted the centuries of corrosive air and the burning sun so when tribesmen found the craft under the sands, they found it in nearly full working condition.

There is little to show us what this race looked like. According to the logs, they called themselves Fyrians, hailing from a world that allegedly orbited Bernard's Star. However, direct imaging scanning coupled in with spectronomy shows that no such planet exists, meaning that if a planet did exist, it was destroyed by a solar flare or swallowed by the sun, but if this is true, the race would be _millions _of years old, far older than the Precursors, so it was safe to assume that they lived nowhere near Bernard's Star.

LANGUAGE

A Lyshad has no visible mouth. Behind the mask, there is only the eyes, and two slits on the jaw which may be the nostrils, but there is no oriface. Some hypothesize, even today, that the Shi'Kri'Lash speak through telepathy. They make little noise when they "talk", but other tribe members understand the "speaker". Slight growls, hisses and extended whines are interpreted as speech for this race.

The hands are used as well for communication. If a Shi'Kri'Lash wiggles their fingers in conjunction with their telepathic abilities, it is considered a more in-depth speech and more formal, whereas telepathy or finger wiggling on its own is considered informal and common speech. In theory, if the speech works on the same level, a Huragok (Engineer), can communicate with a Shi'Kri'Lash, but this is not known as almost everything sent to the planet was killed.

Written language is rare. This is considered the most formal of linguistics on this planet. Shi'Kri'Lash script or "chickenscratch" as it's affectionately known is heavily apparent, and in lack of a better term, _verbose_. It seems to follow a pattern of **Pictography**, similar to cave men. Anything is represented by a rough sketch, be it water, food, or a spaceship.

WEAPONRY

The aliens prefer bladed weaponry, as any projectile weapons they recover are mostly from dead visitors. Despite having seen anything like them before, the Shi'Kri'Lash can be quite quick on learning how they work, and this has led to the early use of Shi'Kri'Lash muzzle loaders, propelled by sulfur that is plentiful on the Cradle.

However, blacksmithing is a new trade on the planet and only the larger tribes have them. They can use crystals as bladed slashing and thrusting weapons, but copper and steel are not very largely used yet.

MILITARY

Based on a tribal system, each settlement has its own military. There is however, no essence of discipline. Each tribe has a _go_ _wild_ policy in which every tribe does whatever they need to do to win, regardless of losses. The only way the higher ranking soldier can be spotted is by their kill count. As proof of their deed, A soldier rips a pendant of an enemy tribe off their slain foe and wears it.

They also have no navy. There are no oceans so there are no boats either. They have not even experienced air travel yet so it would be absurd to believe that they would be ready for the three dimensions of space combat. They also do not have many ships as they are mostly scavanged from planets where the mysterious Fyrians lived.

RELIGION

These creatures are fiercely religious. According to studies, the Shi'Kri'Lash have three gods: The God of the Hunt, which is their most revered diety, The Goddess of Death, and the Godess of Fertility. The Goddesses live to serve the God of the Hunt and tend to his every will.

Whatever scripture there is that the Hunt God (named Knuo-Na) created the Shi'Kri'Lash to slay the creatures of the land and become like him. The Godess of Fertility (Named Uom-A) blessed the females of the land with the capacity to give birth to great numbers of soldiers, and The Goddess of Death (Hnum-A) embraced these soldiers so that they would not fear her.

Statues exist of these Gods. They pray to them every day, offer citizen sacrifices, and make pilgramages into the deserts to the place where the first Fyrian shuttle was found, believing it to be a gift from Knuo-Na to venture our and slay other creatures from beyond the stars.


	11. Chapter 11: The Garim

THE GARIM

"Monachus tempestas"

Homeworld: Gamma Lyrae b

Features:

Simian-like

Able to manipulate lightning

Cosmetic differences between genders.

INTRODUCTION

The Garim come from a planet in the Gamma Lyrae system commonly referred to by its Arabic name _Sulafat, which_ translates to "Turtle". Sulafat is located roughly 635 lightyears away from Earth. The Garim homeworld of Gëyashin as they call it is the second and last planet in its system of two rocky planets. The reason this system was ignored by surveyors was because a system such as this held little or no value to people because as it seemed, there was no resources to be claimed, thinking that the first planet Laloya, was a rocky ball with a caustic Sulfur Dioxide atmosphere would eat up any mining ship that approached, and constant ionic storms that occurred in the upper atmosphere would disable most electronics when in contact with a ship's hull unless extensively armored.

This led the UNSC to abandon any prospect of establishing a foothold in this sector, but a brave Sangheili mining party made the discovery of the Garim on the second and last planet of the Solar System. It was discovered that the planet's exceptionally strong ozone layer allows a much larger portion of Gamma Lyrae's rays to be deflected while allowing more than enough in to allow life to settle.

The scientific vernacular for The Garim, _Monachus tempestas_ translates to "Monks of Storm". The reason for this will be revealed in a later section.

PHYSIOLOGY

The Garim are creatures that stand roughly about 5'3" to 6'7". On initial inspection, one would assume that these creatures are bipedal monkeys and from a distance, one might mistake them for a Mobian (See Article MOBIAN). However, when one gets closer, they begin to see the differing details.

The Garim have no noses but have two small slits where nostrils are situated. A spiky mane of hair not dissimilar to lions surrounds their head. Male Garim have no visible pupils but they should not be considered blind. It is unknown why this happens but it is speculated, according to autopsies done on dead Garim males, that the eyes may – in fact – contain multiple microscopic pupils that absorb light from more angles than a Human can. From that standpoint, it is theorized that a Garim male might have the best eyesight that we know of. His sight is most likely as clear as the images we receive from our retinas.

Garim females on the other hand have "regular" pupils just as we do but have wider eyes. They statistically stand shorter than a male by half a head. Like the males, the females too have a rather wild mane of hair. Females have six breasts the upper pair being the most prominent; the use for these two will be explained later.

Gëyashin is a denser world than that of Earth, a larger core made of dense iron and silicon create a stronger gravitational field. Because of this, the Garim are forced to adapt to this. Gravity is not unbearable for us Human and Mobian visitors though. The 1.32 G environment might feel slightly different though. Our speed and jump height is reduced, but the Garim find this the perfect environment. They are stronger than some other species, more than Humans, Mobians, Gallvente, or most of the races, but _far_ less so than Sangheili or Lyshad, who's bulging muscles can kill anybody who looks at them, pardon the poetic license.

All Garim have tails that are directly manipulated by the user. The tail itself is made of powerful muscles that can function much like a constrictor. The tail itself can apply more than 1000 pounds per square inch of pressure. Sometimes it can be used as a more powerful weapon than the hands.

GARIM 'MAGIC'

This is where I feel that I will lose some of my readers. The Garim _do_ possess some degree of what the rest of the races would call 'magic'. The Garim have an ability known as _Elemental Manipulation_. It baffles scientists of most races but it seems that coupled with the natural evolutionary path of the Garim, the Van Allen radiation belts that naturally form around the planet, and the very strong magnetic field, a genetic mutation may have formed over millions of years.

The Garim have an organ in the palm of their hands known as the _Phleboxium Tangenera_. The exact function of the organ is unknown as UNSC scientists have not had the opportunity to dissect any corpses because the Garim are extremely possessive of their dead, but we can base a description given with the help of Garim physicians. The _Phleboxium Tangenera_ operates in a way that – with help from the brain's neuro-electric signals – can in fact manipulate electrons in the atmosphere. This is a key component in forming lightning. These creatures have the ability to conjure lightning from their bare hands.

This feat bestows the title of "Thunder Monkeys" among these people as they do have a resemblance to the simian creatures. Some of the race however finds the term something like a racial insult, claiming that they are more highly evolved than the monkeys. Regardless, it is a quick identification when one is speaking urgently or quickly.

Unlike monkeys however, the Garim do not have hand-like feet like our terrestrial brethren. The Garim foot structure consists of three clawed toes and no 'thumb' so to speak. The feet are arced to emphasize the springiness and momentum gained when an individual propels themselves from one tree to another. Likewise the hands also contain three fingers but also thumbs which allows them to utilize weapons and tools like most other spacefaring races.

GARIM SUPSPECIES

Going back to the monkey metaphor, the Garim seem to have followed a similar evolutionary path as we did on Earth, all of the races coming from one "Template Race" as they are called in some archeology circles, as Doctor Brom McCallister of Edinburgh University in Scotland puts it in his general thesis paper on the Garim in 3030,

'They share multiple similarities with us although we can exercise the fact that are not us in the literal sense of the phrase. The Garim are at the very least an interesting race. Initial studies on Gëyashin during archeological digs – with permission from the Garim Queen – teams discovered remnants of some ancient burial chamber that, with use of Carbon 14 dating reveals to be nearly 45,000 years Before Present. Inside, were multiple 'cave drawings' not all that dissimilar to what was found in Spain during the 20th Century. It detailed Garim jumping from trees, hunting prey from perches with spears and rocks, similar to when the Mesolithic Period was in its height. Given that the human Mesolithic age was approximately around 10-15,000 years ago, and if it can be accurately stated that a species roughly takes the same time to develop, the Garim would have been a few more steps ahead of humanity before the Sangheili's initial encounter in 2991. Also, several more drawings puzzle researchers: On the walls in the further end of the caves, representations of species, like the Garim but running away from the ones with the spears seemed more heard-like, without leadership or civilization. What research suggests is that these 'Lesser Garim' are those who followed a different evolutionary path in a way that Charles Darwin predicted. This race simply did not have the luxuries evolving as the 'Greater Garim' did, as we are related to simians in a way yet we are entirely different, calling back to the 'Template Race' theory."

-Dr. Brom McAllister (PhD)

Faculty of Xenobiology,

Edinburgh University

Dr. McCallister's theories were confirmed when study of the native fauna of Gëyashin proved that the sapient Garim seemed remarkably similar to the non-sapient creatures swinging from the trees and calling out to one another. The popular theory is that these were the Garim that never evolved with the ability to conjure lightning. They have not developed the _Phleboxius Tangenera_ in their hands and thus were governed by those that did, deciding their fate from then on.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

The Garim Collective is a matriarch-governed society, meaning that a queen rules the people. A queen however is not determined by a monarch-styled bloodline but the Council of Lords, something similar to the House of Commons in Canada and Britain, elects her. The Queen is allowed to marry whomever she chooses. There is no thought about homosexuality in the Garim culture meaning that the Queen's mates can either be male or female depending on her choice. Even if the partner is of a different social class even, they can be married.

Garim children are often born in litters as big as six. The children are born live as most mammal species. The reason that two of the female's breasts are larger is because the mother is to choose two children that are considered the "favorite". The reason for this tradition stems back to ancient Garim ideals and legends about why they evolved this way. The two children are trained to be greater achievers than their siblings. The four others are taught that this is not a bad thing as the two that are chosen for special nursing are to go through a much tougher life.

This turns out to be an extreme level of studying in scripture and philosophy comparable to the high school senior level. Pupils are taught fundamental philosophy from famous Garim over the past, especially the works of Debarüm di-Alocard, an ancient Garim philosopher from around 3178 BCE whose ideas look remotely similar to Plato. As a matter of fact, Plato's works are often the subject of study within Garim Universities as a comparison and contrasting course with Debarüm.

The four younger children have the option to do anything they wish in life, attending regular education sessions while learning practical trades. There is no illiteracy anywhere on Gëyashin, signifying the amazing education that the planet practices. The children go onto be blacksmiths, shipwrights, and soldiers, whatever is needed. They are equally as valued as their trades as the "favored" children as to not stimulate a rivalry between the "high" and "low" Garim.

Ambassadors and Senators are almost always consisted of "high" siblings as the philosophical and legal courses that they were given in school are now useful. Garim have the third highest number of UN ambassadors on record, a respectable 34 members that regularly attend meetings on Earth. They also have a prestigious embassy on Diplomat Way near the United Nations building.

FOREIGN POLICY WITH MOBIANS

The Mobians have had some attraction to the Garim peoples. This was considered somewhat interesting, as they are the most recent addition to the Galactic Family. This relationship was spurred by Chaos Emeralds (See Article CHAOS EMERALDS). It was only then that the Garim Queen revealed that they had had three small gems of unimaginable power. They are the only other known species other than Humanity so far that evolved with Chaos Emeralds located either on their planet of origin or in their respective solar systems (Humanity had four Emeralds, three on Earth, one buried on Luna).

As such, Mobians are treated very highly. They, along with Humans are a part of a "brotherhood" known as _V'yesha dis Ulmash_, 'Keepers of the Gems'. Humans however are not considered so much since they weren't even the ones who discovered the Garim first. This has led to some political debate within the UN with various organizations who hold the Emeralds lobbying for higher consideration. This has been under debate for a few years now.

Mobians have their own private embassy on the planet, open trade relations by way of Human freight companies, and improved alliance in case of wartime. I myself write several books for them detailing how Mobian ways of life work, how we evolved with the Emeralds, and how we currently use them to further our research.

In response, Mobian delegates replied that the offer of friendship is warm but that they were not expecting this sort of treatment merely for possession jewels, but the fact of the matter is that Mobians hold the largest number of Chaos Emeralds so far, somewhat earning their title.

GARIM WEAPONRY/MILITARY

Since the atmosphere of Gëyashin is riddled with ionic storms, the Garim fashion their weapons with Tesla coils. These weapons are generally lightweight, made of polymers and plastics that are abundant in certain parts of the Lyulwin continent in the north, not so much fire but project lightning up to around one hundred fifty meters functioning with the "magnetic bottle" principle that can be seen on Covenant weaponry.

The downside with this is that there is really only one type of gun. Ammo is heat itself, as the gun will temporarily shut down once too much sustained fire is burned through. The gun actually harvests electrons from the atmosphere and positively charges them within the internal mechanism.

Swords are made out of steel mostly, sometimes infused with bronze or copper to act as a conductor, causing some shock whenever an enemy is hit. They also have a tendency to use Covenant energy swords whenever they can get their hands on them, reinforcing their leaning towards lightning based combat.

With projectile weapons, not as much. Garim Marines are often uncomfortable with weaponry that fire bullets, complaining about the need to reload, too much variety in weapons, the fact that the rounds do not always hit their marks, so on and so forth. They mainly resort to weapons specifically tuned for them.

Armies are commanded by Generals. Below these are the Sector Commanders, below them are the Commandants. The "Enlisted Ranks" as we know them are the Executors, Master Soldier, and Soldiers. They, like Humans and Mobians, divide their troops up in Legions, Legionettes, and Protectorates, numbered so that one can tell the others apart.

Military discipline is valued. It is a chance for the "lesser" children to step up and show their colors as those who proceed with military service are often promoted in social class and their family's value in life is increased.

SPACE TRAVEL

Because the Garim evolved on a planet with constant storms in the upper atmosphere, their computers needed to have extra shielding to operate within the ionosphere. The most effective way was to install a thick rubber layer between the inner and outer hulls, and the second measure was to install a shield similar to ones used to dispel radiation around early manned space vehicles to Mars.

Their spacecraft employs solar sail design over chemical rockets. The photons from the star propel their ships while rockets are used for small maneuvers. Records from Garim space flight museums indicate that they bridged the gap into slipspace roughly a thousand years after they began their space age. This is the farthest gap between the leap to the stars that has been recorded so far.

There are three classes of ships: military and support and trade. No other formal type of classes exists to current knowledge. They do, however, place a serial number on their ships, somewhat similar to Hull Classification Numbers instilled by the UNSC.

Weapons are ballistic, as space doesn't have nearly as much particles as a rich atmosphere does. Mass drivers propel the shots at a fraction of relativistic speeds, although for nearly fifteen hundred years there was nobody to shoot at, and the Covenant had no idea of their existence. Life went on as if nothing happened.


	12. Chapter 12: The Unggoy

THE UNGGOY

"Monachus frigus"

Home System: Tala (Gamma Orianis)

Physical Features:

Squat

Methane-Breathing

Guttural Vocabulary

Tendancy to Flee

DESCRIPTION

The Unggoy are a race of methane-breathing, anthropoid people hailing from the world of Balaho orbiting the blue supergiant, Tala (Also known as Gamma Orianis to the UNSC) approximately 240 light years away from Sol. They are a tribe-like race that were inducted into the religious hegemony known as the Covenant to serve as the lowest of the low in terms of military strength. The Unggoy (also informally known as Grunts), have little to recommend to themselves. Since Balaho has a surface gravitational pull of approximately .7g, they are lightweights compared to other species. The scientific name _Monachus frigus_ translates to "Cold Monk", as Balaho is a very cold place naturally and that the Unggoy are strong in terms of religion.

Balaho itself is the fifth planet in the Tala system, and that itself is extremely far away from Tala, which would explain how the Unggoy were able to evolve at all. Methane is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to greenhouse gasses. It was also assumed that the Tala system was much larger, but the closer lying planets were swallowed by Tala when it expanded into a blue supergiant somewhere around 10-15 million years ago.

PHYSIOLOGY

Unggoy stand approximately five feet in height and weigh a maximum of 260 pounds at most. Unggoy do not breathe Oxygen like some of the other races that inhabit Known Space but instead breathe methane, a flammable gas that exists on gas giants such as Uranus and Neptune. The scaly skin and cold-bloodedness suggest that these creatures share similar traits with Earth reptiles but inspection of the teeth reveal that the Unggoy had a vast herbivorous diet.

Similar to simian species however, Unggoy waddle along on hind legs, which give them greater speed over reptiles. The Unggoy's evolutionary path on Balaho has honed them into poor combatants in a fight. Individually, a single Unggoy is not a threat, although in groups, they are much more effective, although trained fire-teams of Marines can also overcome them with ease. They generally are poor warriors since they are not physically adept. Most run in combat when faced with an enemy bigger than they are, mocking them all along the way.

The blood of an Unggoy is bright, bioluminescent blue. The color of the blood may be because of the vast amount of methane that is present in Balaho's atmosphere. The bioluminescent part of the blood might be present because of unique proteins that formed specifically to facilitate in methane-based respiration. On an interesting note, the blood of Horseshoe Crabs and octopi are also blue based on a high copper content. It may be possible that over evolution, Unggoy have been able to absorb copper into their systems.

Unggoy are excellent climbers as seen by their arms and legs. The forearms of Unggoy are incredibly well developed, which make them adept climbers. Strange species of trees that feed off the methane are used for Unggoy to climb up. These are often used for lookout posts to protect villages and are where the powerful reside in private residences. Developed forearms help them climb along with the lower legs. The upper arms are a whole other story though as they are extremely underdeveloped. It is assumed that while the forearms may be used as a crude shield against trauma, the upper arms are brittle and could break rather easily if they sustain enough damage.

In stark comparison to other races, the legs of an Unggoy are wide and conical. The legs end in hooves that have three nail-like toes. The hooves were developed to help protect the Unggoy from any obstacle that could harm them otherwise. They are often clumsy though as this forces them to waddle, otherwise they might trip over their own legs. This puts them at a disadvantage against members of other races that can easily overtake them. The Unggoy have acknowledged this and have opted out of sprinting events in the Galactic Olympics as sometimes, participants injure themselves.

REPRODUCTION

Grunts have been blessed with the ability to rapidly reproduce. This has made them promising for supplying soldiers. During their time with the Covenant spanning from 2142 to 2552, the Prophets 'permitted' them to reproduce to substantial numbers. Unggoy had to conform to standard reproduction limits while under the Covenant, meaning that during a certain time, Unggoy birth rates had to be somewhere specific. If times were tough and there was a shortage of Unggoy soldiers, the Prophets often offered incentives for the aliens to reproduce much more quickly.

The fact that these soldiers were solely for the Covenant meant that the majority of the Unggoy people were located off world. The population of Balaho was only a measly 320 million, in comparison to the galactic population, which stands at somewhere around 10 billion. Unggoy who go over the birth rate limit have been subject to fines and punishment, some of which ended in execution for 'endangering the population density of High Charity' (see article COVENANT-HIGH CHARITY)

Nowadays, Unggoy can reproduce without fear of inhibition. The population of Balaho is now well over five billion and the Unggoy are still growing stronger.

This prompts many biologists to ask the question what will happen if the Unggoy population reaches a fever pitch?

NAMING RITES

Before their induction into the Covenant, the Unggoy were believed to have both a family name and a given name, much like other sentient species to identify themselves from others. However, after their induction into the Covenant at 2142 CE, Unggoy were denied the right to a family name. Some hypothesize that this was because the aliens were viewed as so weak, they were not deserving of a title. This theory is supported by the Sangheili's regard towards Humans, believing that neither they nor their worlds deserved names.

After the destruction of the Covenant proper, the Unggoy were allowed several of their original customs, although they kept the tradition of their naming while in the Covenant because they were so used to it. The Unggoy, by nature, are lazy and not prone to rapid changes in culture.

Generally, Unggoy are named with short vowels and consonants (e.g. Debab, Yayap). Since Unggoy do not possess family names, they identify themselves by their ancestors, their homeworlds, or planets that they lived on (e.g. Flim son of Tayup, Kijip of Balaho, Jojan of High Charity)

[For a detailed look at naming rituals, the peer-reviewed journal _The Naming Rites of Sentient Beings_, by Doctor Phinneas Lamm (c.3218), or _Retaining the Customs_, by Gargyum of Balaho (c.2817)]

UNGGOY AND THE UN

Traditionally, the United Nations always accepted the Unggoy as an ally after the liberation from the Covenant in 2553. Their status remains as a Junior Delegate where a few individuals become the representatives of all Unggoy in Known Space. The major problem is by nature, Unngoy are not negotiators. Before any politician is chosen, they are given a three-year course on politics. Unggoy are not very good at their job, but they work for the betterment of their race. Any individual that is classified, as a politician is an honored individual.

Humans educate Unggoy politicians, so students are trained in Human political styles, trained to locate loopholes and sidestep. Coupled in with the fact that these creatures are born to struggle and war against each other, the sharp transition to a democratic system is sometimes regarded as a shocking move.

Xenosociologists hypothesize that the U-turn of political styles of the Unggoy may be their downfall, and that attempting to change the core aspects of a species may affect it in the long run.

UNGGOY WEAPONS

Prior to their induction into the Covenant, The Unggoy fought with weapons analogous to 19th Century muskets. Their existence as a tribal race did allow secluded development of primitive automobiles and industrial centers, but they never reached a stage where they invented nuclear weapons, or even conventional gas operated firearms.

After 2142 CE, the Unggoy received Forerunner technology but according to the Covenant Writ of Union, they were forbidden to modify the weapons:

'_And so They blessed us with their holy light, only Theirs to wield/For Their honor, spoil them not/lest we stray from the Path/the Lords and the Journey for our hearts demand the utter Perfection/Heretics scheme, Desecrate/They shall feel our fire.'_

(Extracted from the Covenant _Writ of Union_)

The Unggoy utilized all forms of Covenant weapons. Due to their low status, they were only equipped with Type-25 Directed Energy Pistols (aka 'Plasma Pistols'), and Type-31 Guided Munitions Launchers (aka 'Needlers'). Rarely did they use any other weapons, although high-ranked Special Operations units had access to Fuel Rod Cannons, gigantic canons that fired radioactive slugs of incendiary gel that explode on impact.

They continue to use these weapons out of simplicity, although they have utilized Human weapons before, due to their role for studying Human culture and language, they are more familiar around them. There have even been documented reports that Unggoy news stations modeled after BBC have cropped up, and vehicles that look startlingly similar to Hummers are starting to appear.

Whether this means that Humanity has had significant influence on the culture is not known and could simply be adapting technology to their use, but scientists debate the possibilities to this day.

UNGGOY RELIGION

The Unggoy do not believe in any god per se. The main theological aspect of Unggoy life appears to be in ancestor worship. Any homestead will often have a plaque commemorating the heroic members of the bloodline who have fought, died, or preformed deeds of merit. The Unggoy pray to those who have passed and ask for strength in return.

Unggoy do, however, believe in both spirits of the Heat and the Cold. Since Balaho is a far distance away from Tala, and the orbit is highly elliptical, daytime temperatures are as cold as -35 degrees Celsius to as hot as 40 degrees Celsius throughout the seasons. The heat is a pleasant break from the frigid atmosphere so any Unggoy wishes to have more heat. Any and all sources of warm radiance is welcomed and prayed for. Even though they breathe methane, they enjoy temperate climates. Some have been found on tropical planets like Constance (see article PLANETS-CONSTANCE) because temperatures are within their tolerance, and underground methane vents are used to refuel their re-breather systems.

The Cold on the other hand is analogous to the Devil in Unggoy mythology. According to Unggoy Creation Myths, the Spirit of Cold cursed the planet of Balaho when she moved it away from the star Tala to spare them. Prehistoric drawings showed that Tala was smaller in the past and was regarded by Dark Age Unggoy as 'closer', thus they believed that the Spirit moved them closer to Tala for more warmth. We know that was false and rectified when Unggoy discovered that Tala expanded over time though stellar aging. Consequentially, Unggoy do not like space travel because they believe that the Spirit is all around them, threatening to take them and curse them.

Unggoy are rather firm in their beliefs. They are stubborn and zealous, much like when they were stoic believers in the Great Journey. They do not convert easily and have vocally defended their faith.


	13. Chapter 13: The Sangheili

THE SANGHEILI

"Macto cognatus"

Home System: HD 188753 (Urs, Fied, Joori)

Features:

Reptilian

Strong

Honor-bound

Ruthless

Rank-Based Society

DESCRIPTION

The Sangheili (Pronounded SANG-EEL-EE), also coloquially known as _Elites_ to Humans are a reptilian race that hail from the world Sanghelios, which is the fourth planet in the triple star system of Urs, Fied and Joori, which is known to Humans as the HD 188753 system located approximately 149 lightyears from Sol. They are an artistocratic and patriarchial based society that places personal and familial honor above all other forms of politics. The Sangheili are most identifiable by their four mandibles which each have teeth on them. Up until late 2552, the Sangheili have been enemies of the UNSC, but after the Covenant Schism in November of that year, they swapped sides and foungt alongside unlikely allies.

The Latin name of the Sangheili "Macto cognatus" translates to '_I honor my father's blood_' which is fitting considering the Sangheili's honor-based society.

PHYSIOLOGY

The Sangheili were bred to be warriors. On Sanghelios, warriors are trained at a young age. When they were part of the Covenant, physical perfection was a symbol of dedication to the Prophet Hierarchs. Young Sangheili were pushed to the limit, forced to endure days of hard work, combat sparring, and the sight of spilling their own blood. If this was accomplsihed, and the warrior survived, he was considered an honor and was recruited into the Covenant's holy army.

The average Sangheili stands at approximately 8 feet in height, which makes them larger than Spartans which stand at a maximum of 7.5 feet inside their armor. Their large height makes them imposing figures to fight against and works as a shock tactic against enemy forces. During the Human/Covenant War, the mere sight of an Elite warrior could send Marines running. These aliens have four fingered hands. They posessed two thumbs, one on each side of the hand, and thumbs which resemble index fingers. Because of their larger stature, Sangheili look odd weilding Human weapons, their hands not quite fitting into the trigger guards.

Because of Sanghelios' greater gravity, the Sangheili grew strong, with much more muscle than your average Human. Outside of their home atomsphere and gravity, they move very quickly, jumping higher and running faster than some of the fastest Human athletes. Their strength allows them to operate much heavier weapons and carry loads longer, though tradition dictates that they do not haul too much other than their traditional combat harnesses.

INTELLIGENCE

Without doubt the Sangheili are very intelligent. Evolving on a world where Forerunner relics were rich, The Elites gained much knowledge through whatever data terminals there were. While they did have the information crucial to constructing plasma weaponry and whatnot, they did not have any information that would give them the power of interstellar flight, as desecration of the Forerunner relics was considered sacreligious. This was the reasoning behind their differences with the Prophets and initiated a war with them. According to the Covenant Writ of Union, it was known as the Age of Conflict.

_And so the came from among the stars to challenge the warriors brave/_

_Alligiances formed from battle long/Their Holy Light to pave the Way/According_

_to their station, all without exception/On the blood of their fathers, on the blood of their sons, they swore to uph'ld the Covenant even to their dying breath/_

_-_Extract from the Covenant Writ of Union

Sangheili were valued fleet and ground commanders to the Covenant, often controlling entire battle groups and whole armies. Until the Schism in 2552, this was the case, they were known as the Prophet's Protectors. One would have always seen a Sangheili in a valued position. However, after the Jiralhanae Uprising (see article COVENANT - JIRALHANAE), the Brutes took this valued position and the Elites were cut off from the Covenant where a short civil war erupted. The Brutes may have had strength, but the Sangheili had brains _and _brawn. Although not physically a match for Brutes, the Sangheili were tactically brilliant, able to ambush and surprise Brutes by the dozens. It was through this knowledge that they helped in bringing the end of the Human/Covenant war in 2552

Sangheili are knowledgable in all forms of weaponry, alien or otherwise. Their military training requires them to have some form of knowledge about these things. Unlike in their past where they refused to even touch anything other than a Covenant-made weapon, they will gladly take up any arms they find and familiarize themselves with it quickly.

SANGHEILI POLITICS

The main society of the Sangheili is patriarchial, with emphasis on a particular clan in control of a region. The controlling family usually has a region named after them. Like in a midieval kingdom, society is split up into cates with serfs being near the bottom, and warriors and swordsmen being near the top. The one in control of it all is called the Kaidan. The term comes from ancient times before the Covenant even drafted the aliens. The Kaidan and his trusted uncles serve as royalty as a form. A Sangheili father rarely stays with the mother of a Kaidan as the father is usually a great swordsman. According to Sangheili tradition, a swordsman can mate with any female he chooses, married or not, as it is a great honor to bear the child as it passes on good swordsman genes.

Anything that the Kaidan says is absolute. Only the Kaidan can change his own decision with advice given from his uncles.

For the United Nations however, it is an entirely different story. Of all the Kaidans on the planet, two or three are selected to be representatives of the Sangheili race. These are the members that are allowed the oppertunity to vote on matters of galactic importance. The Sangheili may also choose aides if he wishes. These aides can be of any species but out of tradition, they are usually Unggoy (see article UNNGOY).

THE ARBITER

The mark of true honor in the Sangheili society. Established before the Sangheili's induction into the Covenant, the Arbiter used to represent the highest factor of honor that any one Elite could attain. The Arbiter wore custom-made armor that was made of Silver (a rare metal on Sangheilios), Titanium, and Carbon, making it resiliant, light, and comfortable for the warrior to wear. Originally, when an Arbiter died either by age or on the battlefield, their armor was recovered and used for the next Arbiter. All that changed when the Covenant arrived.

When the Prophet Hierarchs called the Arbiter to them, claiming that the Elites joining them was the will of the Great Journey (see article COVENANT - GREAT JOURNEY). The Sangheili in question, known as Fal, claimed that the Great Journey was false. This convinced the prophets to destroy the Arbiter and make his title and armor a mark of shame for the rest of their species. When Fal finally did meet his hands, The Arbiter was no longer a mark of honor, but a sign of disaster and defiance.

Over neraly ten centuries onward, there have been 21 Arbiters that have been selected, all of them Sangheili that have been charged with offenses so grave that they would die doing a great service for the Prophets. For example, events such as the Taming of the Hunters and the Grunt Rebellion had been so incidental that the Prophets called on the Arbiter to settle the ordeals. The Covenant military forces have been refered to as 'The Arm of the Prophet', but the Arbiter was the proverbeal 'blade'. An Arbiter was tasked for the rest of his life. The job was effectively a constant suicide attempt as the missions an Arbiter was sent on were extremely dangerous. Unlike pre-Covenant Arbiters, usually a body was not recovered and the armor with it. A new set of armor was forged after a confirmed death of a previous Arbiter, similar but constantly advancing in design.

Whether it was out of ignorance or intention, the shield and camoflage systems on an Arbiter's armor is substandard compared to other combat harnesses worn by regular Elites. This may be because since an Arbiter was not expected to return from his tasks, they wanted to speed the process along.

After the breaking of the Covenant proper in 2553, the Arbiter was restored to its original reverence thanks to a Sangheili named Thel 'Vadam, who assisted a Spartan (see article SPARTAN) named Master Chief Petty Officer John-117. With the Arbiter's rightful reinstatement. This has been the case ever since.

[For a detailed look into the history of the Arbiter, I would reccomend _A History of Holy Warriors_ by Brandon J. Dailus, co-written by Y'mus 'Rolam c.2980]

Technically speaking, an Arbiter is independant from the military. It is more of a religious appointment rather than a military rate. However, they have considerable power with them, which also allows them to command armies of soldiers and fleets of ships while at the same time not being a legal combatant.

The current Arbiter is an Elite named Hugo 'Chuvam (pronounded HOO-GOAH CHUU-VAM), a descendant of the first Arbiter. It is curious to see how his bloodline survived. The possibility is that whatever family was left after Fal's death was kept alive as a symbol to the Prophets to show that those who disobey would be punished.

NAMING

Sangheili have two names, one of them a given name upon birth, and another for their bloodline or region. Typically, Elites are named after regions where they come from. Each area's inhabitants share a name, which is similar to ancient naming on Earth where people were named after their home towns such as Leonardo da Vinci (which means, '_of the town Vinci_'). In pre and Covenant times, Sangheili warriors adopted a military service suffix to their names which is '-ee'. Elites such as Ripa 'Moramee, an Arbiter during 2531 had entered military service and adopted the suffix.

After the Covenant Schism, the Separatists dropped the '-ee' Suffix and returned to using original naming.

FEMALES

The sight of female Sangheili is not uncommon in the slightest but they are not permitted to have combat positions within the military for religious and cultural reasons. Physically speaking, the females are not any different from the males, except that they seem to have hair and do not move all four mandibles as often, creating the illusion of a more Human-like face.

A popular female activity is dance. It is believed that interpretive and laturgical dance can be preformed to tell a story.

SANGHEILI MILITARY & WEAPONRY

The military structure is somewhat similar to the UNSC Defense Forces, but the higher ranked an Elite warrior is, their armor increases in ornateness and power. The lowest rank is a minor, identified by blue armor, and the highest is a Supreme Commander, indicated by purple armor and a long purple velvet cape, usually constructed by the Elite himself. The only rank higher than a Supreme Commander is an Arbiter but that is more of a holy, religious appointment more than a military title. Discipline is a great value and all soldiers are taught to obey every order without question and die for their cause. Sangheili philosophy would have it that the strong will survive, a twisted parallel to Charles Darwin. Hurt warriors are expected to heal on their own. The prospect of a doctor operating on a warrior is a shameful thought.

The idea of a doctor, be it military or civilian, is an appealing thought to other races. They are people of wisdom, of experience, and they are valued members of any society. The Sangheili culture takes this in the opposite direction. Doctors are regarded as one of the lowest forms of honor. A doctor in the military is also a deep dishonor. Sangheili who are gravely injured are instructed to either fight to the death or kill themselves.

Their weaponry is directly taken from their Covenant affiliation days. Plasma rifles, pistols, grenades and swords have changed very little out of tradition. While the Sangheili still see the Forerunners as revolutionary beings that changed their lives, they do not view them as much as Gods as they did before. Because the Sangheili wanted to remind themselves of the dangers of blind faith, their weapons remained unchanged. Based on second-hand sources that are in bad condition over years of binary decay, the Elites never truly developed propellant-based projectile weapons, which is to say conventional firearms; instead adopting Forerunner technology straight away, which would explain energy swords in their Medieval period.

The concept of retaining designs with their ships and vehicles also exists. Vessels of similar design throughout the entire Covenant Empire exist within the Sangheili fleets, the only major difference being that instead of stark purple, which was the natural color of an alloy created from a dense element called Vuvdeshvos that turns purple after forging, the Sangheili have added gold paint, which is the natural colors of their homeworld. Ships are usually commanded by a Shipmaster, who wears silver-white armor akin to an Ultra.

In Human military interactions since the Alliance, a Minor Domo is treated as an Senior NCO among troops. Since the Sangheili know war for much longer than other races outside the Covenant have, it is wise to heed them. The two races work together, but they rarely mix ranks with each other.

RELIGION

Based on experience, most would say that the Forerunners were gods for the Sangheili. Originally this was the case. When the Forerunner ruins on Sangheilios were discovered, the Elites naturally assumed that these were their gods and worshipped their technology as holy relics. Even when the San 'Shyuum discovered them, the Sangheili protested their faith and did not want to use it as the Prophets had. Incidentally, the Prophets themselves had in-fighting over who got to use the Forerunner technology on their own word (see article COVENANT - SAN 'SHYUUM). Following the defeat of the Covenant, the Forerunners were no less gods than simple, desparate people who used every last weapon they could to save everyone. Titanically noble, but nowhere near god-hood.

Although, the Sangheili do have Gods, three divine images who are named after their suns. Urs, Fied, and Joori were said to look after Sangheilios and ward off the fires that threatened to destroy them. This could assume that the planet was under constant fire from meteors but was saved by the suns' combined masses.

Urs, Fied, and Joori were all brothers, and they all stayed together, but sometimes, Fied and Joori wanted to be more popular than their older brother Urs, so they shoved in front of him every so often so that they could be adored by the Sangheili, which we know to be a totally natural eclipsing cycle usually found in multi-star systems of binary or higher. The Sangheili believed that the suns were the physical forms of the Gods, as they gave Sangheilios life. The strange thing about this multitheistic religion is that they do not believe that the Gods created the Universe, but created the Sangheili on its own. The Sangheili believed that the Universe always was before the universally accepted Big Bang theory was proposed.

Joori and Fied, being smaller than Urs, were thought to be the keepers of Autumn and Winter, responsible for a successful harvest whilst Urs was thought to command the Spring and Summer, where life was to return after its long winter nap. Even though their beliefs are being replaced by science, traditional moments show that they have not completely forgotten this faith. For example, it is very respectful for a Sangheili to say 'May the Brothers shine upon you', as a reference to their Gods.


	14. Chapter 14: The Korrid

THE KORRID

"Nemus Tutela"

Home System: Kssh'klian (Omicron Ceti)

Features:

Insect race

Hive-like

Independantly thinking

Space-Faring

DESCRIPTION

Of all the races that are in existance at the moment, the Korrid are an interesting find to say the least. These aliens are sentient insectoids, meaning that they are insect-like in body shape, but they are intelligent enough to think for themselves and have an analogue of feelings. The planet they evolved on is known to them as Kssh'klian (KISH-KLIEN) located in the Omicron Ceti system approximately 250 light years away from Sol. Mira, as it is known to Humans, is an M-Class Red Dwarf that is much smaller than Sol.

The Korrid evolved in less than optimal conditions on Kssh'klian (there is no translation for this word. The best paralell to this word would be 'The Home of Strength'. Korrid names and proper nouns usually are the length of small sentences when translated. This will be explaned more in-depth later.

The Korrid scientific vernacular "Nemus tutela" means "Tree Guardians". This is based on the primordial times of Korrid evolution where in the hot summers, the semi-intelligent species fled to high trees to escape sweltering surface temperatures.

KSSH'KLIAN DESCRIPTION

The 'Place of Strength' has a very eccentric orbit, bringing its revolutions to just under a hundred days. The planet has an average day length of _nine hours_, making it one of the shortest day lengths for an inhabited planet. The atmospheric conditions are not suitable in the slightest for Nitrogen-Oxygen breathing creatures such as Humans, Mobians, and Sanheili. Kssh'klian has an atmospheric composition of 24.7% Ammonia, 36% Methane, 20% Nitrogen, only 5% Oxygen, and 14.3% other gasses.

[Kssh'Kliah has ranked number 5 on the UN's list for "Least Suitable for Human Life"]

Having a radius of only 3,972.8 kilometers, the planet is much smaller than Earth, but a dense Iron-Uranium core creates a surface gravitational pull of well over 2g. The planet's insane orbit speed of 50 kilometers a second actually pulls at the structure of the planet, stretching Kssh'Klian into more of an egg shape than a sphere. The core creates more radiation on the planet than all nuclear devices that have ever been created on Earth.

It is becuase of this heavy radiation that the popular theory that the Korrid evolved from extremophiles, creatures that can survive enen the most deadly of environments, such as the vacuum of space, at the cold, dark bottom of the ocean, or in a volcano even. The physical adaptations to Kssh'Klian will be explained in the next section.

Kssh'Klian has no natural satellites. It was a wonder that the planet was not tidally locked as it is (relatively speaking) only 200,000 kilometers farther than Mercury's orbit from Sol. Because of its insane orbit speed, Kssh'Kilain's structure has been pulled into an elliptical shape, creating a strange effect. As a result of this, gravitational forces are significantly less in the polar regions, but at the same time, centrifucal forces pull the atmosphere towards the edges of the planet, causing the polar air to be thinner than equatorial air.

KORRID ADAPTATIONS

Becuase of this dreadfully hostile environment, the Korrid had to evolve to cope with their violent world's environment. The first major notable feature of the Korrid is that they have compound lungs to absorb ammonia, methane as well as oxygen, which explains why they can survive in Earth-like climates and pressures.

Becuase of Kssh'Klian's high background radiation, not many living creatures thrive on the surface. To counter the deadly effects of the rads, all living creatures on Kssh'Klian has developed a strong exoskeleton for blocking the radiation exuded by Mira and the planet itself. No other creature known could walk on Kssh'Klian's surface without a pressurized radiation suit would die within minutes

There are no mammals on the surface of the planet, only insect life and the barest classification of fish, and even then, the description is pushing it. The seas of liquid water with additives contain millions of blind, filter-feeding fish that are seen as delicacies by the Korrid, but are not even edible to other races because of radiation soaked into their skin, hard scaly exterior and overall awful taste prevent anybody else from enjoying it.

Most of the vegitation is not edible to other races either. The trees and tall grass which is scattered across the planet exude ammonia air, which is the first of its kind seen that is similar to CO2 to O2 conversion seen on many Nitrogen-Oxygen worlds. Even though the planet is close to its star, constant volcanic eruptions constantly thicken the atmosphere, allowing Kssh'Klian to have a reliable source of breathable air for their species.

KORRID BIOLOGY & PHYSIOLOGY

Becauyse they evolved in a way that hempers movement, Korrid are often found at a disadvantage anywhere other than on their world. Standing at approximately four feet seven inches in height and weighing just over a hundred and fifty pounds, Korrid seem to be hevily anthropomorphized bugs. Two compound eyes are placed on the side of their heads, allowing them 180 degree vision which is analogous to prey vison such as in Terran Bovine that have similar vision functions. Unlike cows, Korrid have the ability to see in 180x360 degrees, making their vision the ultimate anti-prey vision, however, after graduating to the cream of the crop on this planet, Korrid use their compound vision to detect foes during combat. This makes them very difficult to assassinate.

Mira's glow is red, which is a far cry from Sol's yellow-orange glow. This has affected Korrid vision, enabling them to see more into the ultraviolet spectrum of light, allowing them to percieve colors that other species cannot. On the downside, most Korrid are colorblind to colors that Humans, Mobians, Sangheili and other races percieve, making them more of a liability in combat situations, and they have difficulty noting safety signs or warning labels because it falls outside their spectrum of color vision.

Korrid have two claw-like hands that end in hooks. This is a dominant trait in Korrid ever since their evolution. The claws were primarily used to facilitate tree-climbing skills. Ever since the Korrid lost the ability to fly approximately fifty-seven thousand years before present, tree-climbing seemed the way to get from point A to point B.

In addition to their compound lungs, Korrid posess a redundant nervous system as they do not have a "brain" as we know it, but their entire bodies serve as their brains. That being said, if a Korrid were to lose a limb, a fraction of their brainpower would deteriorate. Korrid who have lost half of their limbs are often classified as 'mentally retarded'. On a rather gruesome note, Korrid who are decapitated last over ten days, as greater sensory, circulation, and respiration functions are not tethered to the head itself.

[Author's Note: The longest recorded time a Korrid has survived decapitation was tacked on as 23.71 days before dying of hunger, according to the _3236 Galactic Record Booklet_ published by the Guiness Record Company]]

Korrid posess two hearts, one serving as a backup in case the first one fails. Two large atriums control blood flow to all parts of the body. Korrid blood is a clear mixture with a yellow-ish tinge from slight levels of sulfur in the atmosphere, The viscosity of the blood is almost water-like, making a wound a serious problem and coagulation of the blood takes much longer than that of say, a Human being, where a wound can clot over in a matter of minutes. For Korrid, the process can take hours.

Korrid have forward-bending knees, which allow them to positing themselves for climbing. From a realistic perspective, this seems a practical choice of evolution. Their legs end in pads which have microscopic grapple points, allowing them to traverse a wide variety of surfaces. Korrid to not sweat, instead venting internal body heat through vents called oppiglands.

KORRID LANGUAGE & WRITING

The language itself resembles insect-like clicking. Korrid jaws contact and slick warbling tone emmits from what can pass as vocal cords. The language is extremely difficult to interpret and even harder to translate. Korrid do not possess the organs vital to produce even a broken English language. Because of this, most Korrid do not talk to most outside of their own people, and for the times that they do, they either have a trained inrerpreter or a universal translator that inserted idioms to substitute untranslatable material.

Written language is sparse. Most traditions are oral. Religious texts are memorized and passed through Word of Mouth from generation to generation. Those that did write were rather high up in society. Writing is done though glyphs, similar to ancient Egyptian pictograms. Through these visual interpretations of these pictures can other races understant and comply with wishes or communicate. Some writing also ties meanings into single symbols like Asian charatcers.

The arithmatic system is a base three system, with 1 and 2 represented as dots and 3 represented as a delta. This is similar to the Mayan system of base-three numerical structure.

KORRID POLITICS

The system is clearly hierarchial. Although there is no hive mind as stated by conventional knowledge, the Korrid are led by a queen. The queen is selected at birth among thousands of female larvae. The Queen's sole purpose is to enstill rule among the Korrid throughout her relatively long lifespan of seventy-seven years. She has authority to declare war on other minor queens, declare any sort of spaceflight, or even any day-to-day problem.

Below the Queen are the Lords, which control large plots of land. Below these are the Fifes, which are district owners. The bottom of the barrel are the Commons, which simply live their lives in relative safety without having to make any major decisions. The Commons are analogous to serfs, but they have much more knowledge and their life style is similar to middle-class citizens.

Korrid have only one member on the seat of the United Nations, and that is the Royal Aide to the Queen. The Korrid are often thought of as underrated members of galactic society as their word is generally less valued and they are criticized for a non-democratic government, which has sparked surprising reponses of remorse that they cannot be accepted. Korrid are actually quite social and can be quite friendly

[[Author's Note: I have spent seven weeks on Kssh'Klian in an effort to gather whatever information I could about the culture of these people. My host, the Lord of Hggalkin, translated to "Land of Plenty", was very accepting to a Mobian, even giving me full tours of his 'castle' and giving me a full catalogue of his family history which I found very interesting.]]

KORRID SPACEFLIGHT

Very limited. As a matter of fact, Korrid were looked over by the Covenant during the third millenium BCE as unintelligent bugs and Humans found little interest in Mira as the planet was so uninhabitable for Human life, so alien races in the system were not even investigated.

Korrid spaceflight is similar to 21st Century Earth spaceflight as their ships were reusable but were not very advanced. Since they are the only planet in their solar system, there has been little stimulation to study anything else. Chronologically speaking, Korrid have had spaceflight since 1530 CE but have not advanced in technology beyond simple shuttles.

With no other planets, Korrid Existentialism reigned supreme for hundreds of years, the thought that they were the only other intelligent species in the universe, a stage that most spacefaring species went through before escaping from their world and seeing the universe in a larger picture.

Spacefaring Korrid usually purchase second-hand vessels and modify them to suit their needs, making them 'thrift shoppers' or 'pack rats' of the galaxy. Every so often at a major spaceport or deep space station, one will find vendors selling parts of older vessels or rare minerals to make some money. All of this goes towards making their ships bigger and better.

Korrid have no Marines to speak of. There is only whatever space navy there is. Because of small oceans on Kssh'Klian, there has been no need of a sea-faring military force either.

Korrid have no Slipspace drives on their own, but after making First Contact with Gallvente scouts (whom in turn have inherieted Slispace from Humans), they were granted two Shaw-Fujikawa drives to study and use. These became the first planetary scouting ships for Korrid.

KORRID WEAPONRY

Because of their relatively low technological level, Korrid weaponry is not as functional or versitile as other firearms. Because of rich uranium deposits on the planet, radioactive guns have been developed. These weapons primarily fire uranium slugs propelled at high speeds, usually shaped into a piercing conical shape. The primary purpose isn't to kill, but to penetrate the outer exoskeleton of a lethal radiation of the planet and the slug are meant to poison the target. Other rounds of bismuth and carbon serve simply as hard hitting rounds.

Weapons have the trigger in front of the grip, so the left hand would be holding the trigger and the right hand would be grabbing a grip. Ammunition is slotted into the top and is angled so the rounds drop into the firing chamber. A single magazine can hold up to fifty rounds of ammunition all at least 5mm in length. Because of Kssh'Klian's thickened atmosphere, propulsion must be substantial to punch through the air. On other planets, the heavy firepower is considered to be _anti-materiél_ for other races.

[[Author's Note: I had the opportunity to witness these weapons being fired. Through my suit's headset, the gun sounded like someone smashing a hammer onto a nail repeatedly - right next to your ear.]]

The weapons are divided into four categories: Light, Medium, Heavy, and Ultra-Heavy. These represent Pistols, SMGs, Assault Rifles, while the Ultra-Heavies are represented by Sniper rifles, Machine Guns, and Rocket Launchers respectively. Vehicles are mostly treaded or has at least six wheels as Kssh'Klian's surface is pockmarked by meteor impacts.

KORRID - YAMN'EE RELATIONSHIP

A theory claimed by some state that the Korrid people share DNA with a client race of the Covenant Remnant called the Yamn'ee, also known as _Drones_ (see article COVENANT - DRONES). This theory has some degree of merit as some physical functions and and features are similar. To debunk these myths, scientists used Korrid and Yanm'ee corpses to conduct a comparison.

Official experiments proved that the theories were false for the following reasons:

-Yamn'ee have wings

-Yamn'ee have digits

-Yamn'ne have thick blood, whereas Korrid have more water-like blood.

-Korrid have two atriums in their hearts

-Korrid have backup nervous systems

also, various technical differences were noticed, but were not available for public knowledge.

KORRID RELIGION

Korrid religion revolves around a mythical being named Glestskyith (GLESS-SKIT). According to the Korrid, Glestkyith created the universe and all that inhabited it. Fundamental Korrid religion supported species existentialism, that they were the only intelligent life in the universe, similar to Earth Judiacally-based religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judiasm. However, as the Korrid evolved and started to look to the stars, a sect of a religion broke off and became the Korrid Reformers, those that believed that the universe was filled with worlds and gods similar to their own, that their own God created their system and resided in the sun. Everybody knows that the interior of a sun cannot be entered, and thus the mystery of the Gods remain. A smaller portion of the population is atheist. Unsurprisingly, these are mostly scientists.

It is said that the God Glestkyith descended upon the Korrid with the purpose of informing them of all that was around them, giving them the gift of intelligence, and speech. Frightened of this new ability, the Korrid were said to have killed Glestkyith and afterwards were to repent eternally for abusing their newfound abilities, coining the term, "Religion of Regret". Glestkyith seems similar to the Christian figure Jesus Christ in many ways, the fact that the God descended from the sky (although more literally), tried to teach of good will and intelligence, and in the end he was killed. Korrid scientists try to explain that the figure may have been an as of yet unknown race. This is frowned upon in religious circles, but the faith is quite tolerant of religious interpretations.

Korrid have no concept of heaven and hell. They find the idea of eternal life or damnation to be confusing. When informed about the Human view of heaven and eternal life, some have responded "Now why would you want that?" It is from this we can conclude that the Korrid have instilled a faith that embraces the idea of a finite life and living it to its fullest potential. However, Korrid have an analogue to Purgatory. Korrid believe that tere are those who are tasked with guiding travellers from a world beyond. A common prayer said by Korrid away from their homeworld include references to a departed spirit guiding them through the stars.

Since there were no Forerunner relics located on Kssh'Klian, they had no idea of their existance. However, after spreading to a few more systems and have gained more knowledge, Korrid palaentologits and exohistorians have made an effort to discover anything they can about the Forerunners to better themselves and others.


	15. Chapter 15: The Covenant

THE COVENANT

No Homeworld

Features:

Collective

Genocidal

Fractured Leadership

INTRODUCTION

I believe that there are some that should be aware that at this point in time, the Covenant proper has been disbanded for quite some time. A more appropriate way to look at it should be the Covenant Remnant. For many hundreds of years now, the alien races that was once the biggest predator in the galaxy when it came to Humans, (barring Flood of course) has been broken and scattered. Since the Covenant is a collection of races of different origin, and to save on space, we will be looking at the Covenant races clustered into one section rather than each race getting its own independent article. The Covenant was at its strongest from the zenith of its creation, which is still under determination in terms of founding date, but it is clear that the group had abundance of power until the eve of 2552, the year that the Human/Covenant War would reach its end.

The Covenant itself has no vernacular, seeing as it is a collection. In the following sections though, the remaining races will have their proper scientific designations.

EARLY HISTORY

The actual founding of the Covenant and even the very naming of the most infamous collective in the galaxy stemmed from an ancient conflict known simply as the San 'Shyuum/Sangheili war. The Sangheili, strong warriors who were fighting against the San 'Shyuum from tampering with the Sacred Artifacts (now known as Forerunner Artifacts) . The Sangheili were cunning, much faster, and tactical geniuses. The San 'Shyuum were outclassed in every way, with the exception of one major asset: a gigantic Dreadnought, 14 kilometers in length. This was, in truth, the very last keyship (a vessel that could open a gateway to Installation 00 – The Ark) in the galaxy.

[For a more detailed account of the battle and of the Keyship itself, please refer to Auru 'Koram's _Blood of Servants_, and Franco Cospiano's _Keyship: The Last Forerunner Vessel_ respectively]

The Sangheili were master swordsmen and feared combatants, but even they could not stand against firepower of that magnitude. In a final effort to possibly drive back the invaders, the Sangheili studied the Forerunner relics on their world. This in turn gave them the upper hand, but it violated the very motivation of their fight. Distraught, they realized that all fighting was now considered moot since they were both on level ground.

The conflict was resolved peacefully with the Covenant's "Writ of Union", a document specifically written for the occasion and is memorized by all the Covenant's soldiers, be they Sangheili or otherwise. Originally, the Covenant was created to keep both sides from destroying each other in a process known as Mutually Assured Destruction, a term applied to the Cold War on Earth to signal when two superpowers have the ability to annihilate each other.

The Covenant was loose, but it was there, as simple as it was. Over time, the San 'Shyuum discovered the Sangheili's prowess would be good for them. They assigned the Elites to be the Prophets' personal guards, ousting San 'Shyuum also in this position.

THE HUMAN/COVENANT WAR

The time period spanning between the years of 2524 and 2552 is a point of Human history that is known as the Human/Covenant War. It was a devastating conflict for Human beings in general, not just those on Earth. So, what caused this massive and deadly conflict in which billions were killed and worlds were reduced to glassy balls orbiting dead in space?

It was a mistake.

A grave and drastic mistake indeed. According to Sangheili who had defected from the Covenant, the original order to go to war came from the Prophets themselves, who had said that the Holy Oracle that had resided in the Dreadnought (who we now know as 034 Mendicant Bias, an old Forerunner AI) had told them to attack Humans who had lived in the Epsilon Indi system. This was the first strike of the Covenant on a Human world, what was once Harvest. The Covenant officials went to order the eradication of all Humans on the surface, believing that Harvest was the homeworld of Humanity, only to discover that there were _hundreds_ of planets that had Humans on them.

Systematically over the next thirty years, the Covenant went through Human space, burning worlds that they found, eradicating the "heretics" on their surfaces. This continued for some time, and the Covenant were hampered by articles such as the Cole Protocol, which mandated that UNSC ships wipe databases and self destruct if any Covenant ships were found in the region. The Covenant were also slowed down by heroic acts of individuals like Preston J. Cole, who sacrificed himself at the Battle of Psi Serpantis, taking down hundreds of Covenant ships by detonating the brown dwarf his ship was orbiting, and Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb, who in 2552 sacrificed himself to destroy over 200 enemy ships at the _Unyielding Hierophant_.

The Covenant had no idea they were being misled. The Fall of Reach served to further bolster their religious fervour, stirred when they realized they found something important on Reach, important enough to warrant the planet mined and not destroyed, which was the fate for many other worlds. It was clear the Covenant wanted something.

In that same year, the Covenant discovered something that would rock their very core, to cause the faithful to cry out and praise the name of the Prophets, the discovery of a Halo.

The Halos themselves in Covenant mythology represented rebirth, transendence. It was through these mystical cosmic objects that the Forerunners were said to have ascended to Godhood. It was this promise that fueled the Covenant, hopeful to take the Great Journey. The Halo ring, Installation 04 was also encountered by the UNSC Cruiser _Pillar of Autumn_, which had made a seemingly random jump to stellar coordinates, when in reality, they had been uncovered from a mysterious artifact discovered on planet Sigma Octantis IV. The Covenant's hierarchy was riled with the destruction only days after the discovery and forced them to crown a new Arbiter (see article SANGHEILI – ARBITER), yet continue their campaign nontheless.

It was on October 20th that the Covenant had found Earth.

The UNSC attempted to repel the aliens from Earth, but they seemed to have their sights primarily on one location: Mombasa, Kenya in the East African Protectorate.

[A list of other attacked areas can be seen at ./human/covenantwar/earth.2]

The UNSC followed the ship as it was jumping away from New Mombasa. The city paid the price, being damaged by the Slipspace rupture, although the city's orbital tether snapped hours after.

The aliens' major downfall resulted at Installation 05, what is known as Delta Halo. It was at this Forerunner construct that the Great Schism took place. Details are fuzzy because the Elites were not willing to divulge the _exact_ events, but we can speculate. Based on what was seen of the Covenant, we assume that there was a power shift, the Jiralhanae, or Brutes, becoming the Prophet's guards. This angered the Sangheili, as it was breaking one of the founding tenants of the Covenant and so they went to war. It was this betrayal that linked the Sangheili alliance with the Humans.

The Covenant as the Universe knew it back then died on Installation 00, the Ark. The Arbiter, Thel Vadam slew the Prophet Hierarch of Truth and broke the Covenant leadership. A 30 year conflict ended by the hand of a Sangheili, a fitting end to the stellar empire.

RECENT HISTORY

The section header, "Recent History" describes the time period between the end of the war, from March of 2553, to the present date in 3238. For a while, the Covenant had all but disappeared from the eyes of the public. It was assumed that with the Hierarchs killed and the secret that Human beings were "Reclaimers" becoming revealed, it was believed that all was right with the Universe.

For a brief length of time, this was true.

The Covenant had truly shattered, the races lost, needing guidance after the Prophets' influence broke, but they had nowhere to go. This was known as the First Age of Ignorance among the Covenant, in which they stumbled about, becoming no more than boarder menaces.

It was in 2702 that the Covenant had reformed, and not dissimilar to the last formation. However, the Prophets leading this collection—Tolerance, Humility, and Reverence, respectively—saw themselves inferior to the likes of Truth, Mercy and Regret, they refered to them as the Great Ones and the Forefathers. The new Covenant, known as the Remnent, refered to the teachings of the old Hierarchs.

How they managed to gather the remaining Covenant Races, the Yamn'ee, the Kig-Yar, the Jiralhanae, the Drinol, the Lekgolo, and miniscule portions of the Unggoy population, and other minor races, is a true mystery. Theological Sociologists and Exopologists are baffled by a second forming of the Covenant. Dr. Martha Stiles from the University of Michigan states,

"_We assumed that the end of the Covenant was the final blow. We thought that there was absolutely no chance of a reformation, but if recent events have told us anything, it's that we're wrong sometimes."_

Doctor Stiles and her coleagues believe that the Covenant was reformed through a process of tricking the aliens into believing that the Prophets now had another way to "Transcend" them into the god-like beings they made the Forerunners out to be after the activation of the Halo Array some hundred thousand years ago.

The Jiralhanae came first. These aliens had been set back by a global pandemic, and some of the brightest minds had succumbed to the disease. This meant, _yet again_, the Jiralhanae have dropped down the evolutionary ladder. They jumped at the chance of working technology that would take them through the stars. This also meant that the Brutes were the honor-guards of the new Covenant structure.

The Kig-Yar came second, drawn in by promises of monetary wealth by the Prophets, who were making a cultural comeback, despite the fact that so few of them survivied the purging of the Schism.

The other races followed afterwards, assured that they would find a way to exterminate the heresy—namely the Humans—and assure their step to the level of diety that they have been chasing for centuries. The Unggoy were notable because some of them were forced into service. These were mainly populations of border worlds that the Unggoy were able to colonize. Balaho remins outside of the Covenant Remnent's control.

In 2900, the Remnent declared unofficial war on Humanity once more. It was something of a Cold War. They did not attack, and if they did, it was through sparse attacks. Their main goal was to locate Forerunner relics, and even evidence of the Precursors. Thus far, their success has been scattered, but their resolve is at pre-Schism levels. They will not back down easily.

RACE STRUCTURE

The Covenant, being first and foremost, a collective of alien races, has multiple species known as Client Races. Client Races themselves may or may not have had the sufficient technology to classify them as a Space-faring Species, much like Humanity or the Sangheili. If these races did have spaceflight technology, it was vastly inferior to that of the existing Covenant's.

The Covenant works in a state of hierarchy, meaning that there is a totem pole-like arrangement of the races, the most important being at the top, and the least important being at the bottom.

The races of the Covenant Remnant are as stated:

THE PROPHETS

_San 'Shyuum _

_Perfidia vermis_

Homeworld: Unknown (destroyed by supernova)

Features:

Tall

Weak-limbed

Long necks

Manipulative

The Prophets themselves served as the top of the totem pole for the Covenant Empire. For almost three thousand years, the Prophets themselves have steered the Covenant towards the so-called "Transcendence" that elevated the Forerunners to "godhood"

The San 'Shyuum evolved on a planet where Forerunner artefacts were abundant. Here, the two split into groups that debated on whether they should learn more about the Forerunner tech, or simply worship it as it was. There was a war that resulted from the two, which resulted in the side that insisted on further study, the Reformers, to leave the planet and the Stoics (those that discouraged further study) behind. It was later learned that the planet perished as a result of the primary star going nova.

The surviving San 'Shyuum formed the Covenant with the Elites, pressing them into service.

The San 'Shyuum themselves are very weak. As such, they must use anti-gravity belts or thrones, which allow them to levitate. A San 'Shyuum can walk, just not as fast as another being. Prophets can live for many hundreds of years. This can be explained with various life-support technology that is implanted into their tiaras, their clothing, and supplements that are fed to them every day. This actually gives a psychological effect that the Prophets are infinite, just as their wisdom is.

Generally, the Covenant are filled with minor Prophets. These Prophets are in charge on minute things, such as superior supervisors, legates, ministers, or professors. The three at the top are known as Hierarchs. These are the three Prophets that control the entire Covenant. It is also known that the rank of Hierarch was not gender-specific, as a few female San 'Shyuum were known to take the post.

After the initial fall of the Covenant, their numbers dwindled, giving the impression that the race would go extinct, but it appears that a population boom took effect. It is unknown how a comeback was made, considering that there were less than a thousand Prophets alive at the time of the Human/Covenant War's end. Some believe that the survivors used fertility drugs to allow the comeback of the species. Currently, it is assumed that there is just under a million San 'Shyuum alive as of 3238.

THE BRUTES

_Jiralhanae_

_Servus Ferox_

Homeworld: Doisac

Features:

Ape-like

Bipedal

Malicious

Narrow Minded

The Jiralhanae are the Remnant's main fighters. They are strong, full of zeal, and not wishing to question orders. The Brutes themselves live up to their names since their behaviour fully supports this. The Jiralhanae homeworld, Doisac, is a planet that is in the process of a societal reconstruction. It is believed that many hundreds of years in the past, Doisac was once a technologically advanced planet. The Jiralhanae of this time actually possessed space travel and were well along the path of evolution. Something happened though. Massive nuclear war spread throughout the planet, knocking the Brutes back into the Stone Age, a frightening lesson for Humans notably, since the fear of Nuclear War was long thought to be the fate for Human beings.

The Jiralhanae were mindless once more, animals that functioned on feral instincts. It wasn't until the Covenant arrived and took them in that they had a chance to rise up once more.

The Covenant originally used the Brutes as shock troopers as they were very effective and used as a psychological weapon, especially the Stalker troops, which had Active Camouflage units, allowing them to blend into surroundings.

At the point of the Schism, it was clear that there was a massive power shift. The Sangheili were being deposed as the Prophets' champions, to be replaced by the Brutes. This caused the war between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae. In the end, the Sangheili were considered heretics and were tergets to the remaining Covenant.

The Brutes themselves were willing to rejoin the Covenant Remnant after its reformation, and are still the new Empire's champions.

Brutes have the uncanny ability to charge into a bloodrage that will shift their physical power into overdrive, known as _berserking_. These maddened Brutes do not go down easy, and they will not relent until their enemies are dead, or they are.

Brutes like the feel of slaying their enemies and doing it brutally. Thus, their weapons have a common theme of rending embedded in them. Brute weapons such as the Spike Rifle or the Mauler Shotgun are projectile weapons, a stark comparison to the Covenant energy weapons.

Curiously, the Brutes will use Human weapons if they strike the aliens' fancy, namely if they rend or maim the enemy. Thus said, they will mostly use shotguns, ignoring other weapons.

Brutes themselves have a strict patriarchal structure in which emphasises the right to rule through use of bloodsport or ascension through combat. It was not unheard of for a child to go against his father in order to seize power. In all honesty, it was something that went on all the time. The leaders of clans were known as Chieftains, and they were seen as powerful symbols of leadership and manliness. Chieftains have multiple wives and concubines, allowing them to spread their warrior genes throughout their clan, hoping to produce progenies.

In Jiralhane culture, hair is also an important status symbol. Those with less hair are considered seniors and the more honoured members of Brute society. Those who have begun military service within the Covenant shave their heads and neatly trim their beards.

THE HUNTERS

_Lekgolo/Mgalekgolo_

_Orphis congragatio_

Homeworld: Te

Features:

Worm-like

Able to conjoin

Digest metal

Intelligent

Contrary to popular belief, Lekgolo are not bipedal tanks with fuel rod guns strapped to their arms. The true nature of the Lekgolo are small worms that are able to think as one, but when combined with another worm, they become that much more intelligent. The Lekgolo hail from the world of Te, which is a massive world. The exact co-ordinates of Te are unknown, possibly at the insistence of the Lekgolo themselves. Te itself is smaller than Jupiter and has a gravitational pull of 4g. Unlike other gas giants, te has a solid surface, 25 satellites and a ring of debris in which Lekgolo reside.

When the Covenant originally found the Lekgolo, they discovered that some of them had the ability to digest metals and alloys that made up Forerunner artefacts. They considered this feat an act of heresy, as they were defiling the great articles of the Gods, mistaking the metals for food. This resulted in a war between the young Covenant and the Lekgolo. For a time, the aliens had the upper hand. They were able to take many of the Covenant's warrior with them, but eventually, with the much superior technology, the Covenant were able to absorb the eel-like race.

The Covenant then systematically exterminated the colonies that were able to digest Forerunner alloys so that they could not further desecrate any more Forerunner ruins.

The Covenant's role for the Lekgolo was a shock-troop role. The miraculous thing about the Lekgolo is that they are able to form larger bodies by joining together. The role that most people are familiar with are the Hunters, which are bipedal aliens that stand roughly ten feet high, have thick plating and an Assault Cannon bolted onto their arms. The Cannon is more commonly known as a Fuel Rod Gun. Other weapons have been used by the Hunters such as a mini plasma launcher, which is similar to the Wraith tanks' main weapons.

Another role that the Covenant has purposed for the Lekgolo is that of living wiring. In multiple machines, the Lekgolo serve as the glue that holds it together. In vehicles such as Scarabs, which are quadruped tanks, Lekogolo are visible in the joints.

Lekgolo, despite being eel-like creatures, the Lekgolo have a wide degree of culture. They even have spaceflight which explains their presence in the rings around Te. There is a known basis of Lekgolo poetry that spans multiple worlds

[For a good read in Lekgolo poetry, pick up Iya Xos Bouis' poetry book, _The Whispers of the Moons_, available in most bookstores]

At the time of the Schism, the Lekgolo split their alliances. Some of the creatures joined the Separatists, and others stayed with the Loyalists, which still supported the Covenant's cause. There were plenty of Lekgolo that still stayed with the Covenant in forms of the Mgalekgolo. After the war, most of them simply faded away.

For the past 700 years, the Lekgolo remained quiet. It seemed that they were out of the picture, back to digging through the ground, finding minerals to eat. However, with the rise of the Remnant, the Lekgolo had returned, although they did not come back into the picture until the early 3200s. Though the vast majority of the Lekgolo did not take the side of the new Covenant Remnant, some of them did. They were attracted by the promises of newer minerals to eat and provide newer worlds. While this would seem like a stretch to some people, the Lekgolo took it without hesitation.

THE JACKALS

_Kig-Yar_

_Perosus Iatrunculus_

Homeworld: Eyan

Features:

Bird-like

Pirate Attitude

Kleptomaniacs

Financially Minded

The Jackals themselves were always pirates ever since their first ventures on the high seas of Eyan. Ever since Medieval times, all Kig-Yar had embodied within them a sense of financial gain. In this way, they are—strangely enough—the best analogue to Human beings since they both have an eye for a hefty sum.

Most of the Jackal civilization is founded around bartering and trading. If one were to go into one of their communities, one would to notice that most of their buildings seem ramshackle and that they would not look appealing to _any_ race.

The Jackals were noticed by the Covenant while they were prowling the asteroid fields around Eyan, using them as small bases. The Covenant demanded that they join their ranks. When they refused, a war broke out in the skies above Eyan. They were outgunned, outnumbered, and had no way to survive. In order to save a shred of hope, the Kig-Yar had to accept the Letters of Marque. This may have been a desperate move, but the Letters allowed the Kig-Yar to serve as privateers for the Covenant. They preyed on ships which were the enemies of the Covenant, most notably, the Humans.

The Kig-Yar may have been named after the dogs that roam the desert sands, but they have no resemblance to canines. Instead, the Jackals have much more avian stature. It is believed that a long time ago, the Kig-Yar actually were a flight-capable race, gliding through the trees. Evolution took its course and they were stripped of this ability.

Kig-Yar will steal anything. It is a fact of life. Jackals that have had their ships looted have yielded random trinkets and baubles. While it seems that these are but random items, anything that the Kig-Yar get their hands on will have some value in the back-alley markets on Eyan. Some of the most valuable things that the Kig Yar themselves steal are junk compared to other things. They will steal jewels and computers, but junk seems to be the dominant booty.

The Jackals were initially drawn to the Covenant Remnant through what else, but monetary gain. The Kig-Yar were sought out by the new Covenant. They were found doing what Kig-Yar do best, and that is pirating. The skies around Eyan had been plagued by constant piracy, minor battles, and numerous other incidents. The Hierarchs, unimpressed, but still willing to have more join their numbers, the Prophets delivered the Privateer Arrangement. This essentially drew the Kig-Yar back into the fray, placing them as mercenaries.

Some Kig-Yar though, did not like the idea of serving a master again. Some of them made their way to UN-controlled space, demanding asylum. It was through these defectors that a major understanding of the Kig-Yar culture has been made.

[For a more complete detailing of Kig-Yar culture, please refer to _The Lair of the Jackals_, by Phillip M. McGru, PhD]

The Kig-Yar in general though still is hostile to Human beings and are not willing to make nice. The exact reasons of this has been lost to time, but it is clear that this is not a religious issue, but mainly a matter of envy. Humans have everything, Kig-Yar _want_ everything.

THE DRONES

_Yamne'e_

_Turpis rex_

Homeworld: Palamok

Features:

Insectoid

Hive-Mind

Able to Fly

Violent

These creatures are the 'flyboys' of the Covenant. The Drones are insect creatures that hail from the jungle world of Palamok. They are unique because they have the ability to fly through the air using insect wings. The Drones evolved on a planet that has a higher gravity. While this is a massive burden (pardon the pun) on any species, it actually aids the Yamne'e because in lower pressure environments, the creatures are even more effective at flight, and can coast over twice the distances that they could on Palamok.

The Yamne'e was originally drafted into the Covenant in 1112 CE. They were a conquered race, just as the Unggoy and the Lekgolo were when they initially joined the Covenant. The Yamne'e themselves had no way to defend themselves and were almost immediately assimilated into the collective. They were used for engineers when Huragok were not available. They are immensely intelligent when it comes to machinery. They are also very violent when cornered or threatened, so other Covenant races to stay clear from these creatures.

The Drones were one of the few Covenant races that stood with the Loyalists at the time of the Great Schism. They believed the words of the Prophets without question, and took place in regular religious ceremonies, even though they were not able to communicate with the rest of the Covenant races without the use of Translators.

Drones speak by using their wings to communicate. They beat their wings in rhythm, similar to crickets. They also click their mandibles together, which produce sounds ranging from small snaps to hisses. Pheromones also play a role in talking to other drones. For all intents and purposes, they are almost identical to your garden variety grasshopper or cricket, assuming of course these animals were capable of holding plasma weapons.

Yamne'e are a hive mind, meaning that the entirety of the society is controlled by a Queen, similar to bees. The Queen is a massive creature, requiring wingless Drones to carry them around. The other Yamne'e live to serve the queen, even if it involves being the Covenants' slaves. The actual Drone class of the hives are the males, workers that ensure that the hives are well kept and the queen fertilized. Much like Terran insects, these drones do not have wings. Also, if one were to consider that drones use their wings to converse, the males are mutes, able to communicate only through their pheromones and clicks.

The females are the true soldiers, but these creatures are incapable of reproduction, making their lives worth only for combat. There are ranks within these creatures, based on the sheen of their exoskeletons. These ranks survive even today, which allows some semblance of cultural longevity.

The Yamne'e were actually the only species to stay with their masters through the population rebuilding. The Covenant deemed them some of the worthiest among the Remnant, but they were kept low in the totem pole because of their physical limitations. The Drones did not fight back to this one, but they did report their disdain for this position. They currently share the same caste space as the Kig-Yar.

[Please Note: While there may be some Grunts in the ranks of the Covenant, there is no need to rewrite an article on them. The basic gist of the fact is that the Unggoy were basically frightened into joining the Covenant again. These are considered the 'Lost Unggoy' among the race. These are not members of their species, but are cowards who stoop to the level of tyrants]

THE ENGINEERS

_Huragok_

_Facticius indoles_

Homeworld: None (artificial in origin)

Features:

Artificial

Very intelligent

Handy

Neutral

The Huragok are the only race within the Covenant structure that do not take a side in the conflict. They are effectively Neutral. The reason behind this is that the Engineers are artificial in origin. It is believed that the Huragok were created by the Forerunners many thousands of years ago to serve as organic labour. The Huragok serve as the primary hands that repair devices of the Covenant. They can fix anything, and have no trouble with working with anything that is not of Covenant origin.

The Huragok are created when two "parents" construct the child out of organic materials and fill it with gas. It is through this gas that the child gains the ability to hover. The amount of gas in inflatable bladders on their back also determines the name of the Huragok. A few examples of these names are "Lighter Than Some", "Heavier Than Most", or "Evenly Massed"

The Huragok themselves do not believe in a religion and thus have no religious attachments to the Covenant. They only serve to fix whatever needs to be fixed, and do it with vigour, joy perhaps. When one sees a Huragok, they are always in a trance-like state in which they can probe into their target, study the components, and then assemble it at lightning speed.

Humans who have come across Huragok whilst repairing objects report that they do not seem to even notice them. If they do, they simply regard the bipedal with curiosity, check to see if anything needs fixing with them, and then float on their way. Engineers will not sound alarms either if an intruder is detected, although some will act in self defence if someone attacks them.

After the fall of the Covenant in 2552, the Huragok did stay with the San 'Shyuum, simply because they had so many things that needed fixing. It was the Huragok then that helped the San' Shyuum recover from their losses, helping to create cloning machines, artificial insemination devices, and incubators. In a way, they helped pave the way for the Remnant to exist at all.

SHIPS

The Covenant's vessels are based entirely on the design of the original ships of the collective that date back as far as 2140 BCE. The reason that the Covenant may have used the same ship chassis for almost _five thousand years_ might be because of the Covenant's bestowed philosophy

_Imitative, not innovative_

The simple fact of the matter is that the Covenant simply adapts Forerunner technology into their designs. They do not change their chassis simply because it would force them to rethink everything that they built. That would not be conducive to the Covenant's ideology.

There are many classifications of ships, ranging from patrol vessels, to frigates, all the way to the monstrous Assault Carriers, capable to spewing hundreds of fighters and dropships, not to mention the thousands of troops required to crew such monsters.

These ships use plasma as weapons, using shaped bottles made of magnetic fields to funnel the plasma towards its intended target. These balls of plasma can be hundreds of feet across, making them excellent anti-ship weapons. Smaller lasers that also use plasma made into needle fine beams can cut through battle plate with ease.

Slipstream travel is far superior to that of Humans. With sharing from the Sangheili, the fastest a Human military ship can obtain is around 600 LY (light years) a day. On the other side of the spectrum, the highest Slipspace velocity a Covenant Assault Carrier can obtain is around 912 LY. This remains unchanged, once again, thanks to the Covenant being imitative, not innovative. Covenant ships are also much more precise when making their jumps. This remains unchanged throughout the years, and still surpasses that of UNSC vessels.

Covenant fightercraft are simple. The main fighter is the Seraph, which has remained unchanged through the Age of Ignorance and into the Remnant Era. The second type of fightercraft is the Poltergeist, which is utilized in both atmosphere and in vacuum.

WEAPONS

Neglecting to discover any new ways to kill each other, the Covenant Remnant continue to use the same weapons that they have been using pre-Schism. Plasma Rifles, Pistols, the Type 33 Guided Munitions Launcher, the Needler, and many other plasma artillery weapons are still used.

The most ingenious weapon used by the Covenant is the Plasma Grenade, which is a device that actually fuses with their victims. It is believed by many weapons experts that the weapon fuses to tissue or materials that produce a sufficient heat level. Living tissue is a great example of this is an unfortunate Marine. Since a Human's internal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, it is a perfect home for the grenade. The fuse burns for three seconds before detonating. The lowest average temperature that the grenade is found to stick to is 66.2 degrees Fahrenheit.

Along with its blast, the plasma grenade can also deliver radiation damage. This causes Farquhar's Syndrome, which is caused by degradation of DNA through radiation, as well as acute Parkinson's Disease. There have even been reports of Huntington's Syndrome in isolated cases.

[For a list of Plasma and Radiation diseases and how to treat them, consult the _Encyclopedia Medica_]

THREAT LEVEL

To close this chapter of the Codex, the number one public fear is whether the Covenant will attack again. This threat isn't as odd as some people would like to believe. The Covenant could quite possibly have the numbers needed to invade any sort of planet. It is clear that the Covenant still antagonize Humanity, calling them 'heretics' and 'heathens' for halting the Great Journey back in 2552, but the Covenant bit back, still intent on activating that journey through other means, even though it is clear, for the moment, that the Halos were the only way to cause the galaxy-wide extermination that the old Covenant believed would be their salvation.

The Covenant despises all races not allied with them and has even attempted low-level glassing on border planets. The United Earth Government as well as their allies have tried to stop such attacks, and for the most part have been successful, but a few worlds have fallen, reminding us that our foes have not vanished into the night, simply waited.

Towards Mobians (See Article MOBIAN), the newcomers in the UN Alliance, the Covenant do not see the anthros as true foes, but as animals that simply were lucky enough to walk on their two feet.

[I actually have come face to face with a Jiralhanae before. Thankfully, I was with two Marines who quickly removed the threat. I cannot describe what went on that day, and I have not forgotten it in the slightest.]

There have also been horror stories that starved Jirlhanae, Kig-Yar, Yamne'e and even Unggoy have been let loose on civilians, tearing them to pieces. Thankfully, after the formation of the Remnant, there has been no recorded event like that of Draco II, in which people were eaten alive by these creatures.


	16. Chapter 16: Slipspace

FASTER THAN LIGHT TRAVEL

DESCRIPTION:

Regarded as one of the greatest discoveries of any civilization anywhere in the universe, Faster Than Light travel quite simply, refers to any mode of transportation that can surpass the light-speed barrier. This is considered the ultimate test, as a civilization that could break through this physics milestone could be guaranteed continued existence. Immortality if you will. It is highly considered that those that are unworthy or do not have the technology to produce a Faster Than Light transportation method is doomed to die on their respective homeworld. Other scientists suggest that there are much more intelligent species that are stuck on their respective homeworlds. Not far enough in their evolutionary paths to even _comprehend_ Faster Than Light Travel, as Doctor Francis Montague explains:

_"The general idea is that every race must develop some form of Faster Than Light travel. It is believed that this is required for a civilization to achieve a state where it can survive even if the homeworld is destroyed by a cosmic, artificial, or biological disaster. We were not so different. Say, twelve hundred years ago, Humanity was stuck solely on Earth. We had no way to produce the energy to allow us to even travel half the speed of light, because according to Einstein, reaching the speed of light is impossible; it is the cosmic speed limit. We still believe Einstein was correct, but in 2290, we discovered the concept of Slipstream Space. This was our saving grace, even though we have used fusion engines to get around the solar system, we weren't getting to our nearest star, Proxima Centauri, which would take tens of thousands of years. _

According to astrophysicists, Slipstream Space (contracted to Slipspace), subverts all the rules that would generally be associated with FTL speed, namely the fact that one _shouldn't_ be able to travel faster than the speed of light.

E=Mc2

Einstein's Mass-Equivalent Ratio (above), states that for an object to travel infinitely fast (represented as the constant 'c', or the 'speed of light'), it would need to have infinite mass (represented by 'm'), which would in turn require an infinite amount of energy. This method is still tried and true, but if Albert Einstein were to visit the 33rd Century, he would nearly flip.

SLIPSPACE

Coined as the greatest discovery in Human history, and any history for that matter, Slipspace is a 'never-never land' which allows ships to ignore the regular laws of physics and travel to nearby stars in a matter of days. This has evolved to commercially viable and practical interstellar flight, which was seen by some as a bit shocking. Slipspace is best represented by a sheet of paper. A basic FTL analogy is to simply fold the paper and slip through the holes left by the puncher. Doctor Imunah Al Jazeer (Ph. D, University of Athena) has a different view on Slipspace though:

"_It was once said by the great Michio Kaku that FTL travel is akin to folding a paper in half. Slipstream space on the other hand is like taking the same sheet of paper, and crumpling it into a ball, then trying to put a ship through the puncher holes. It's difficult, energy consuming, but it is by far the only logical solution to go anywhere_."

[For a more detailed look at Michio Kaku's views of Interstellar travel, pick up _Hyperspace_ (c. 1994 CE)]

For the Human race, the credit for the method to burrow into Slipspace itself goes to Drs. Tobias Flemming Shaw (Ph. D, QeD, FRS) and Wallace Fujikawa (ScD, QEnD) in 2290, when these legendary men discovered the link between our world and the chaotic realm known as Slipspace. The physics of such a realm are different to those of what we perceive to be the universe. Slispace is not exactly a universe in its own right, but an extension of ours. Slipspace is hypothesized to consist of eleven dimensions in contrast to the known four that we experience (length, width, height, time) the nature of these dimensions is unknown. It is unlikely that they will ever be known, but they are influential on our society of a whole, as it allows us to expand out into the universe.

The method of tunnelling into this sub-universe is all particle physics. An accelerator which is in a standard Shaw-Fujikawa drive causes particles to lap around a tube and collide with one another. These rapid explosions of energy will cause micro-black holes appear in normal space, which is a gateway to Slipspace. These micro-black holes evaporate in a microsecond thanks to Hawking Radiation, but the drive stabilizes some of them and expands them through the following formula:

a't=ddtu't=ddtut-0=a(t)

Simply put, this formula assumes that two particles can exist at two separate points in space at the same time, but there is delay from one point to the other. This is Galilean Relativity. While Slipsptream avoids Time Dilation as seen in other forms of hypothetical Faster Than Light travel, there are inaccuracies or 'eddies' that occur in the transition, which account for a fraction of 'misplaced' time as represented by this formula:

T=aatd=TTdU*fTTdTU∇d*fTU=Tf

The formula expressed above is known as Hiroshi's Principle, in which time at both the points of insertion and extraction is constant, but that the energy itself (represented by the inverse delta) is enough to modify the space-time continuum, and thus, change the transit time during Slipstream jumps.

[For a more direct look at the mathematical equations related to the structure of Slipspace, please consult _Exodus: The Study of the Slipstream_, by Doctors Tobias Flemming Shaw and Wallace Fujikawa (c.2307)]

Slipspace is described as darkness through the entire journey, as no light is produced by any known stars. It is theorized that light is not perceived on this dimension of existence. That or the sheer number of dimensions that are overlapping each other simply blots out light through a number of variables.

[For more information on the nature of Slipspace, I recommend Dr. Thalius Kaiks Ludwik Beks' scientific monologue, _The Nature of the Neverland_, purchasable at any major bookstore]

Recently, through the accidental discovery of the Chaos Emeralds and their applications towards FTL travel, the entire concept of Slipspace needed a drastic rewrite (See article CHAOS EMERALDS) to accommodate these new developments. Through some manipulation of the space-time continuum, the vast amounts of power these tiny jewels command rips through _multiple_ layers of space-time to enter whole other universes. The formula for which it does so is not available to the public, and very few are actually granted access to see the jewels and even less are allowed to study them. Travel time across such distances is hastened, although there is no sound way to predict where the passengers of such a flight will end up.

WAKE

Slipspace "wake" is the by-product of a successful jump. After a ship has cleared the area and initiated its slipspace jump, another ship can engage a similar jump on the same vector. Initiating a jump on this vector will allow a ship to increase their velocity to that of the former ship, truly bringing slipstream into the picture. Wake jumps can be performed to optimize time of transit, which is extremely handy for convoys of cargo ships. This is also a useful tactic for military vessels to chase a target ship that has jumped into Slipspace, although care must be exercised so that there are no enemy forces waiting for them on the other side.

COMMUNICATIONS IN SLIPSPACE

While ships cannot visually perceive one another in Slipspace due to the lack of light, they can communicate through tight-beam laser transmissions. This way they can keep in near-constant and instantaneous contact. However, once a ship passes beyond the bubble that is the effective range of such a beam, contact is broken, and a ship cannot simply slow down in such an exotic environment. There are horror stories of instances where ships have lost communication with their groups and ended up wandering the stars for dozens, perhaps hundreds of years.

[For a detailed account of just such an event, pick up _Redoubtable: The Incredible Rescue_ by Captain Hass Lipinski (c.2582)]

While nightmarish, these events are very few and far between, there is roughly a case once every five years or so, and if such an event were to happen, military regulations dictate that all crewmembers report for immediate cryostasis and for the AI to drop an emergency Slipspace beacon upon reverting to normal space. Civilian transports on the other hand will not be so lucky if such an event were to occur. There are very few cryotubes on a commercial flight and these are usually reserved for passengers with an extreme medical issue. Fortunately, there has been no recorded civilian Slipspace fatalities with the exception of the _Van Braun _in 2549 in which a colony ship's stern was transported to Slipspace due to improper mounting. 700 civilians supposedly perished in the accident which put forward new maintenance techniques for all SF engines.

DOWNFALLS OF SLIPSPACE

Apart from the fact that the mere entrance into Slipstream Space is dangerous presents one of its downfalls. Other harmful aspects of this otherwise great mode of transportation is its predictability, or rather, its unpredictability. Slipstream engines, especially those of Human design, are crude in their methods. While adapted Forerunner engines in use with the Covenant Remnant are more precise and graceful in their jumps, there are still some mathematical random to factor in. When looking at Human slipspace drives, it is entirely possible that a ship will end up approximately from 10,000-100,000 kilometers from their intended extraction point. Though the risk is very, very, _very_ unlikely, it is plausible that a ship could theoretically exit Slipspace inside of a planet or star. This has never happened yet, but researches still claim that it is an ever-present danger.

One of the biggest complaints about Slipstream is the vast amounts of energy consumption that the drives require. Tunnelling from normal to Slipstream is no small task, requiring an outstanding amount of energy, equivalent to ten _thousand_ times the power of the Hiroshima Atomic Blast in 1945.

[Quite obviously, this reference will change depending on which species is reading this guide]

The Thermoelectric Conversion Law dictates the general amount of energy required to tunnel into Slipspace must be proportional to the mass of the ship, otherwise, it will not be able to make the trip.

Ms=c*MsMA7.43cA*As AND M*Sc=VsMs∇Ms*Vc=cA

(7.43, for future references, is Staten's Number; one of the most important real numbers used in Slipstream analysis.)

From a tactical military viewpoint, Slipstream can present a slight game-breaker in the form of Cherenkov radiation. A good example of this is when a nuclear missile is launched from a ship that transitions into Slipspace. During transit, nobody would notice this, although upon transition into normal space, the missile will emit Cherenkov radiation thanks to its nuclear payload. Emissions are blue-shifted which can be easily read by any orbital sensor. This is the reason ships can detect each other so easily after a transition, as visual contact in space is virtually useless unless the ship is inside the hundred kilometer range.

SLIPSPACE TODAY

As of the time it is 3238 CE, according to the Gregorian calendar. The Second Age of Colonization had begun in 2553 when Humanity began to rebuild after the war with the Covenant. Thanks to newly acquired Forerunner technology, Humans began to transform their ravaged worlds back into liveable ones. In addition to terraformation, Humanity discovered greater methods of Slipspace travel thanks to the Forerunners. The United Nations Charter of Alliance of 2571 had the Sangheili officially share technology as a form of apology for the war; reparations for their misled jihad.

Multiple Slipspace engines exist today thanks to this technology. Some major names are the General Dynamics Translight Engine, the Ford-Bausch FTL Transitioner, The Mathlock-Ithalanci (MIT) FTL Engine, and the Queens Aerodynamics Translight Manifold. These are only a few of the popular names, although many agree that the best is still the Shaw-Fujikawa because of its simplicity. Simply point and shoot. Various different brand names offer different velocities at the cost of recharge times or heat expenditure, which may or may not sway certain users.

In general, FTL engines have increased in velocity thanks to the Charter of Alliance. Military vessels generally have higher velocities than civilian ships. The "speed limit" for military vessels is pegged at around 600ly/day. In 2552, this number was 2.1ly/day. Civilian ships are around 100ly/day; significantly slower than a military vessel under the justification that exiting at too high a velocity might cause a collision with another craft upon exiting the aperture. Sangheili ships can go faster, with their ships approaching velocities of around 912.6ly/day. Forerunner ships are hypothesized to go even faster.

For a price, Civilian yachts can be fitted with a small Slispace drive. The only model small enough to accommodate these drives is the Tessler Mk.16 Slipspace Insertion Drive, which eeks out a passable 25 ly/day cruising velocity. Anyone who wishes to travel FTL otherwise must do so on public transit.

IMPORTANT SLIPSPACE DATES:

500,000+ BCE: Precursor society discovers Slipspace. Believed to be even more extensive than Forerunners

100,000+ BCE: Forerunners Use Slipspace extensively.

2140 BCE: Slipspace 'discovered' by the San 'Shyuum, later the Covenant proper.

2013 BCE: Shi'Kri'Lash 'discover' Slipspace

2290: Creation of the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine.

2310: The _Odyssey_, the first FTL capable colony ship leaves Earth for Proxima Centauri.

2390: 800 worlds colonized (including dwarf planets, non-habitable worlds, and habitable planets).

2553: UNSC Charter of Alliance signed; ships fitted with new technology.

2553: Second Age of Colonization Begins.

2594: Lyshad discover Slipspace Flight

2600: Garim discover Slipspace Flight

2680: Independent Contractors begin to create Slipspace Engines.

2704: Alydes achieve Slipspace Flight

2902: Ford-Bausch engine contends for the No.1 spot of most common used Slipspace Engine

2917: Gallvente Race acquire Slipspace drives

3234: Discovery of Chaos Emeralds, attributed to Cross-Universal travel; highly experimental, highly dangerous.

3234: Mobians acquire Slipspace drives

3235: Confirmed use of Chaos Emeralds by enemy military forces to cross universal barriers.

3238: Second longest recorded absence of a military vessel in cross-dimensional travel. Said ship was lost with nearly all hands, but a second vessel returned crewed by UNSC Navy personnel.

[For a more detailed listing of important dates, consult the UNSC Galactic Records Archive at ./html]


	17. Chapter 17: Time in Space

TIMEKEEPING IN AN INTERSTELLAR EMPIRE

One of the most problematic stages of forming an empire be it human or otherwise is the notion of attempting to establish some form of universal timekeeping. This is easier said than done as multiple factors have to be taken into consideration when attempting to create such a system, but regardless, humanity, as well as other civilizations before and after it have managed to create such a thing.

Prior to the Exodus of Humanity in 2290, there have been multiple theories on how we can make a timekeeping system in outer space; difficult because space itself has no established 'time-zone' per se. Humanity is traditionally accustomed to the 24-hour day/night cycle on Earth and function on the 24-hour clock.

The main problem in space though is that aside from there being no time zone, very few planets orbit their star at a comfy 24-hour, 365-day rate. On record, there seem to be only 2 (31-hour, 290-day; 28-hour, 400-day). The vast majority of planets, mainly the uninhabitable ones (by Human standards) have elliptical orbits; their orbits are elongated to the point where they resemble eggs rather than circles like in the Sol System; however, seasons are well defined here. Summers are noticeably hot, and winters are apparently cold as planets are far away from their stars.

Some popular theories on how to accommodate some form of timekeeping have been popularized with three theories:

UNIVERSAL TIME: First popularized by the 20th Century science-fiction television series _Star Trek_, the Universal Time theory suggested that a uniform time will exist throughout Human space regardless of position. A 'Stardate' would exist that cannot be changed and is recorded by everyone on every planet, however at this time, what concept would it be? Some have suggested that the actual Stardate from the TV show be directly applied to real life, but this was shot down instantaneously. Other forms of timekeeping were a popular notion of an atomic clock that measures the pulsing of molecules and a universal Gregorian Calendar. For the former, the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) was created in 1970 to create a scientific date system based on Epochs, although keeping these dates would become radically difficult as time went on. The current Julian Day is 2903846.5, and Unix Time, which came from the Julian Day and the UTC is currently 40025577600.

INDIVIDUAL CALENDARS: A more direct yet complicated method for this is to give individual star systems individual calendars. A star system that has a planet with a 400 day year for example would have the standard 365 days 'stretched' to fit the new year, with 12 months and a leap year every 3 years exactly. These years are proposed to start following the first landing of a colony ship, with the setting-down to be January 1st, Year 0. This is considered a complex method because then EVERY planet in the system would receive its own calendar because every planet has a different rotational and orbital period. Some have considered as a streamlining effect, that the date of the first planet be taken across the entire solar system in order to avoid confusion and potential madness coming from the individual calendar system.

GREGORIAN CALENDAR: By far the simplest pitched theory; 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. The notion of using a Gregorian calendar has been suggested ever since the 20th Century regarding timing sequences. It is essentially the same system that has been used, right down to a universal 24 hour clock. There is no change and it still uses the Common Era as a dating suffix. This was the easiest to implement, but it changed certain things socially, such as what would we do for the 24-hour cycle? When would we know how to sleep? The answer is that one base their sleep no longer on a 24-hour basis, but on a day-night basis. If it gets dark, sleep. This also provides an interesting notion where a day will change at noon and nobody will notice whereas on Earth, a day is widely noticeably changed. Analysts claimed that they treat the passing of a day as a subtle thing on the level of an hour. While it was acceptable to some, others opposed it in the favour of the Universal Time or Individual Calendar schemes.

END RESULT

The resulting ordeal was that people chose to implement the Gregorian Calendar into the interstellar culture out of simplicity. Some claim that it is impractical but the rebuttal states that an individual calendar system would be far too complex for tourists to understand. Starships are also able to operate on the 24-hour period which makes coordinating events much easier. Military officials are also in the favour of the Gregorian Calendar system because it will teach military personnel to wake up at multiple times of day on different planets, allowing them to get more of an experience that gets them working in different environments.

Those who were not in favour of the Gregorian method, a combination of Individual Calendars has been merged so that planets do have their individual calendars as well and are treated as such. Other criticizers have argued the time dilation effect when after an FTL jump, clocks would be off, thus destroying the usefulness of a universal time. However, like a GPS system, on-board clocks are adjusted so that once at a destination, dilation would bring all clocks back within usual parameters. All of this can be handled by an on-board computer, and an AI would be able to compute any deficiencies and correct them on they fly.

[For a complete and comprehensive view on the influences of Faster Than Light travel on time as we know it, consult Martha A. Xander's _Like Clockwork: Examining Time through the Stars _or Nelson Umtata's scientific journal, _Analyzing the Quantum Effects of the Universe on the Mainstream Flow of Time and its Impact on Faster Than Light Travel_]

NOTABLE TIMEKEEPING IN OTHER CULTURES

Mobian:  
Essentially the same as Earth. With Mobius being an alternate Earth in which its universe has the same day/night cycles, and even uses the Gregorian Calendar (due to Humans settling the Mobius universe originally) but other universes with a Mobius or Earth even may not experience the same temporal cycles, but Unix time seems to be compatible there as well.

Lyshad:  
Use standardized time based on the movement of the smallest moon around their home planet. Once a day, a small moon approximately around 1,000 kilometers in diameter makes an orbit around the planet. The Lyshad count a classic day/night cycle to be analogous to a day, but the moon represents the hours or _Shaluk_, which translates to phases. In pre-spaceflight society, there were four _shaluk_ per day, representing the quarters that the moon passes. However, following the Industrial Revolution, there became eight _shaluk_, as it became much easier create accurate times. It is believed that they did this due to a base-eight number system. Months are calculated by looking at how long the larger moon took to orbit the planet, which takes around twice as long as Luna does.

Gallvente:  
As the Gallvente have been heavily influenced by Human culture. Their day composes of thirty 'units' which equate to around sixty hours, and is coupled with what's known as a 'Local Year' which measures a full revolution of the planet. In space though, they use an interesting Universal Time concept which counts the years since the first manned mission into space known as the Astral Date, coincidentally the same acronym as the Anno Domini system. This uses only the year with no additional date units. The Gallvente have been recording history for roughly 7,000 Local Years, with the Astral Date being AD 321.

Shi'Kri'Lash:  
The Shi'Kri'Lash are unique because as their primitive nature dictates, they don't really have a fixed way of telling time. Actually, for the most part, the wider part of the Shi'Kri'Lash do not distinguish time in the form of days, weeks, months or even years. This is very odd considering that they have developed spaceflight through surrogate means since their planet is very metal poor; not taking the dates used by the advanced civilizations that left the ships there and instead using crude words that have similar meaning to 'soon' 'later' 'before' 'after' and 'now'. However, it is true that customs range from tribe to tribe, much like ancient civilizations on Earth. Other tribes measure days in sunrises, years with season changes, or times when a particular plant blooms, solstice, or other subtle differences. To our knowledge, the Shi'Kri'Lash do not have a space calendar of any sort, and rely only on sleep cycles.

Garim:  
An interesting difference is that Garim measure time with the coronation and death of their rulers. Since the invention of telescopes, and subsequent application of ahead-of-their-time electrical circuits, the Garim homeworld was noted to orbit around their star in 527.3 days. When a queen is chosen, it represents that a new Age has begun and the death marks the end of it, and each sunrise represents a new day in that age. If there is more than one queen from the same family, Ages are turned into Epochs. When the last of a line has died, a new Epoch begins. For example, the current date of the Garim is the 5,756th day of the Age of Sachela in the Epoch of Highwater. This is used as a universal date through all of Garim Space.

[For an experience dealing with the end of an Epoch, the emotional autobiography _End of an Era_ penned by Queen Jiidora II, of House Mildrek can be found at any bookstore. I personally enjoyed this experience and discovered what it was like to have time tied to your name]

Datonians:  
Datonians, like the Shi'Kri'Lash are clan-based, meaning that rules and customs can be changed depending on where one is. That being said, there is no universally defined date for the Datonians. What we can assume is that in the Council of this race, there is a superior race that serves as a head for the entire Datonian race. Based on what was leaned from Datonian Emissaries, the date can be subject to change depending on who is in charge. Months are determined like on Earth where the moon determines the amount of months a year has, and a sunrise determines a day. Years have a totally different meaning here where fierce diplomatic relations take place between tribes. Datonians have two dating systems and it all hinges on who is in charge. Say if Clan Razorwing has been the dominating clan for about ten revolutions, any timestamp would read Year 2600 of Razorwing, 5th of Ascension. Breaking this apart, the first set of dating tells us the year (before present) that a clan was established and what clan is in charge. The second dating set refers to how many years the clan has been in power, in this case, 5 years. This number gets reset if another clan takes the place as leader of the race.


	18. Chapter 18: Alternate Universes

ALTERNATE UNIVERSES

INTRODUCTION

A topic of great interest especially in the last few years has been the discussion of alternate universes. Although scholars have researched the topic for well over a thousand years (possibly more if we include theological and metaphysical debate), the true venture has only been made for the last 700-800 odd years. Alternate universes, by definition, are planes of existence that exist in either parallel or overlapped states around the universe in which we inhabit. The existence of alternate universes has been widely accepted by quantum mechanics and the string theory as early as the 21st Century.

During the 19th, 20th and 21st Century, alternate universes (sometimes called alternate dimensions), were mostly used as subject of science fiction in which the occupant of one universe travels to another either willingly or not willingly. One of the most apparent uses in media was the usage of the Alternate Dimension used in the Earth American science fiction television show _Star Trek_, in which the protagonist James T. Kirk enters an alternate world that has a different history and different present. The major difference is that the world seems more chaotic, authoritarian, and facial hair seems to be running rampant (most likely a way to tell characters apart for the sake of convenience). The scientific acceptance of alternate universes was not widely acknowledged, leaving the subject in the realm of theoretical physics.

There were a few that supported the existence of alternate universes however within the scientific universe. Some of these major names were Professor Michio Kaku, Stephen Hawking, and to an extent, Albert Einstein, whose theories may have supported the existence of such universes. Humans were not the only ones who supported the idea. In BCE 1240, the Datonian Prophet Dyath Dagger-Talon suggested to his peers that 'a life beyond our own may be separated by the veil of apparent reality. Who knows what lives we may lead when we peer behind the curtain'. The Datonians, along with some scientific Sangheili sects also believed in the existence of parallel worlds, although they attributed the existence through Forerunner meddling as Gods. In 3234, a UNSC Strike Team that was deployed to a conflict on Mobius discovered the presence of a Forerunner relic within a pyramid, which either suggested that the presence of Forerunner was either parallel to their presence on Earth, or the Forerunners indeed had cross-universal travel. However, that is not likely to be known for quite some time.

Arguably, the first commonly accepted appearance of an Alternate Universe was in the 24th Century, when Slipspace was discovered as a source of fast interstellar travel to the Humans. Slipstream Space was deemed as a separate dimension that existed as enveloping our visible universe as a sort of crumpled ball of paper, where starships traversed the crumples and creases while attempting to reenter the visible universe. Slipspace is black naturally, which is owed to the fact that no regular matter formed stars or heat. It is believed that Slipspace may entirely be composed of Dark Matter, or may also be formed of a True Vacuum in which no particles of any kind exist, although scientists argue the truth of the latter because it is speculated that a True Vacuum would not allow any form of known chemistry to exist. The fact that matter, as we know it can tunnel through Slipspace is a major argument for those that side with the True Vacuum Slipstream. In 2567, astrophysicist William de Flores suggested that perhaps the universe Slipspace may inhabit may in fact be a world where matter has spread out so far that no light would have reached the observer. Dr. Caroll Cowley three years later countered that in more that 800 years of travel, no report of stars have ever reached a traveller made an argument to this. If Slipspace were random as de Flores suggested, it would be virtually impossible to receive some sort of light from a star as per Olbers' Paradox.

It stands to reason that the nature of Slipstream is in fact, too alien for organic, or at least Human life to understand due to its quirks and complexity. Perhaps the only ones who knew Slipspace best were the Forerunners, who were much more advanced in their usage of this parallel universe.

The first instance of an alternate universe that directly appeared as a copy of another was officially discovered in 3234 due to an accident involving the UNSC Supercarrier _Indomitable_ ('officially' because in the 22nd Century, Dr. Matthew Mobius crossed over into this universe because of interaction with a Chaos Emerald. This event was not confirmed until 3234.) where it was transported to an alternate universe that resembled that of the one Earth and the rest of its universe resided in. In this case, Earth, called Mobius, inhabited the same space, with the same solar system (albeit with a few cosmetic differences), and same observable universe surrounding it, but according to stellar drift cartography, Mobius' universe was separated by approximately 12,000 years in the future. The inhabitants, anthropomorphic creatures called Mobians largely resembled Human beings with the exception that they had animal features (see article MOBIAN)

After 3234, research went into locating other universes, which either inhabited the same space, or were in a different location due to differential cosmic expansion. Officially, as of 3238, a grand total of, including Earthverse, eight parallel universes have been discovered, but only about three of those were traversable.

TYPES OF UNIVERSES

A common practice of classifying alternate universes based on a comparison towards Earth's has been in use since the 21st Century, and is still widely accepted as the best way to go as far as the 33rd Century. There are 4 general Types of universes, and each becomes more alien as one goes on.

TYPE 1: Regions Beyond Known Cosmic Horizons

The vastness of space extends far beyond what we can interpret as existence. It is very likely that the universe is infinitely big and actually expands much farther than we are able to visually interpret. Our current estimates put the universe at 13.7 billion years old and thus, 13.7 billion light-years in radius, but the actual size may be far larger, possibly infinite. With infinite space comes infinite matter, and matter can only combine in a few select ways. With an infinite amount of space, we can reasonably assume that somewhere, somehow, an exact duplicate of ourselves, our planet, and possibly our whole universe may exist on the assurance of pure mathematics. Given that Known Space only covers roughly a tenth of the Milky Way Galaxy, we are at no means able to question the validity of this statement any time soon.

TYPE 2: Other Existing Universes Parallel to Our Own

The second type of universe dictates that other separate bubbles of space-time formed alongside Earth's in their own cosmic expansion where the laws of physics may or may not resemble our own. So far, with the exploration of these bubbles as of the current date, the laws of physics and thermodynamics seem to be, for lack of a better term, universal. Of all the confirmed alternate universes discovered to date, the three that are traversable seem to fall into the Type 2 category. Mobius, Earth, Koprulu and the Far Far Away Universe are all examples of Type 2 Alternate Universes.

TYPE 3: Every Action Has Every Solution

This type of universe seems to encompass the fact that every action ever made will evolve in every possible way, which may present a staggering amount of universes if we think about it. Think of the beginning of a Type 3 universe as the creation of the universe. Then the divergence starts to occur. Suppose that the battle of matter and anti-matter results in an anti-matter victory, and thus, no life as we know it exists. Perhaps hydrogen and helium did no fuse, and no stars existed. Perhaps even, the decision of one person may have influenced the course of the universe. This would be the ultimate example of Chaos Theory. There has also been some debate as of the early 23rd Century as to whether or not we can include every class of universe as a type 3, but the argument was closed on the basis that Type 3 universes must be tethered to a universe in the way that branches are attached to a tree. All can go off in their own direction, but in the end it must stay attached to the trunk. It is generally accepted that Slipspace is indeed a Type 3 universe.

TYPE 4: An Entirely Different Chemistry Set

This is perhaps the most extreme and alien of the four types of alternate universes. In this universe, the laws of physics and the laws of thermodynamics are totally unlike the ones that we know and love. Everything happens in an entirely different way. Perhaps the laws of physics work differently, or there are elements that can exist without electrons or positrons, or more likely, reality itself doesn't follow any of our rules and defy thought and mortal understanding. It was Dr. Klaus Olberg who coined the famous phrase, "A Type 4 is God branching out". The other 4 universes that have been known to exist are Type 4 universes.

KNOWN UNIVERSES

-Earthverse (Type 2): This is the name given by Humans for the name of their home universe. There is no other accepted name, really

-Chaosverse (Type 2): This is the scientifically accepted name for the universe that the planet Mobius inhabits. The name comes from the fact that this was where the Chaos Emeralds were discovered. The inhabitants also call the universe the Mobiusverse.

-The Far Far Away Universe (Type 2/Possible Type 3): Mentioned only in passing by a crew that returned from an extrauniversal accident. This was named so because of the fact that this galaxy was far, far away, and seemed vastly different from our own. With names thrown around like Coruscant, The Sith, and Jedi, it is likely that this is in fact the Star Wars universe. Once this was determined, the question popped up on whether it might be a Type 3 universe because it was seemingly a fictional creation. Currently, the argument is that the FFA universe is simultaneously a Type 2 and Type 3 universe.

-Koprulu (Type 2): This universe is home to the beings know as the Protoss, Terrans, and Zerg. The Terran Dominion had somehow discovered hos to traverse universes in 3235 and invade Earth, and managed to hold it for two weeks under heavy opposition, and with their seeming cooperation with the Zerg Horde, they were more than a match for the UNSC's defenses. However, the Protoss aided Humanity and drove the Terrans back to their home universe through a tear in space that they closed. The Protoss were invited to join the Alliance as a trans-universal member, but they have suspended judgment for the time being due to major warfare erupting in their home universe. The name for this universe comes from the fact that the Terran Dominion (although not from Earth) resides in a sector known as Koprulu.

Macroverse (Type 4): Simply put, this is a universe with an entirely different set of laws of physics where matter and anti-matter exist as the size of basketballs and constantly collide with one another in a very dense space. A curious question that arose after discovering the universe is whether the particles are big, or are we as small as electrons and neutrons. Scientists are currently investigating the Macroverse, but no manned expeditions are either encouraged, or planned, due to concern over extreme radiation poisoning which may kill the explorers instantly.

The Aquatic Expanse (Type 4): Another Type 4 universe that seems to exist in a state of what we might know as liquid. Space, time, planets, moons, and stars all exist in a vaguely defined substance that appears to be liquid. No real expedition has been considered for this universe, but scientists conjecture that starships would not be the best method of investigation. It is thought that if an expedition were performed, it would probably be in a submarine. It is not known if FTL is even possible in the Aquatic Expanse, although regular physics seem to be out the window there anyway.

Darkverse (Type 4/Possible Type 3): Like The FFA Universe, the scientific community disputes the state of Darkverse. Here, it appears that hydrogen and helium did not form, meaning that stars did not exist as we know it. However, it is conjectured that a form of black body radiation may exist instead, which would actually allow some form of extremophile life to form. However, such an existence of a blackbody is purely theoretical as knowledge on Darkverse is extremely lacking. Further investigation through probes is required.

The Glow (Type 4): A possible overlay universe, the Glow is a universe where all particles are photons. All particles produce electromagnetic radiation, which is Olbers' Paradox realized. This universe is pure light in which all points are illuminated. The existence of this universe has not been seen in person, but has been confirmed through studying Forerunner databases. Scientists are trying to locate the Glow through trial and error, but current theories state that the Glow is an Overlay Universe that inhabits the exact same space as ours, but with different Laws of Physics.

EXISTENCE

With the discovery of the Chaosverse, people have attempted to determine where universes are exactly. Some have suggested as early as the 21st Century that universes may exist in a medium resembling a sea or a void. Universes may flow in this medium bumping into one another or linking, which may explain black and white holes. Some suggested that the entire concept is far beyond our comprehension, and thus, immaterial for the time being. Names have cropped up, calling this place the Interuniversal Highway, the Sea of Being, the Multiverse, or the Extraverse. The name that seems to garner the most support is simply 'Existence', where quite literally, all exists. The appearance of existence has gathered quite a lot of curiosity and artistic interpretation, including Daramici Adagio famous oil portrait 'The Sea of Being', painted in 2789 and on display in the British Art Museum. Since there is no true form that is known to scientists, we are only left to wonder and rely on the creativity of artists to envision what such a state would appear like to us.

[[For more interpretations of Existence, try visiting the Interplanetary Center for Artistic Talent on Meredith where an entire wing of the museum is devoted for artistic depictions of Existence]]

TRANS-UNIVERSAL TRAVEL

This is an extremely dangerous mode of travel, which actually surpasses the dangers of Slipspace travel. Crossing universes requires energy that any one starship cannot produce on its own because of power constraints. That being said, the best way to cross a universe is by Jumpgate. Only two known jumpgates exist: one orbiting Earth and one orbiting Mobius, which is the first and only known successful linking of one universe to another. Chaos Energy that is radiated from Chaos Emeralds powers these gates. While Chaos Emeralds do radiate Alpha and Beta wave radiation, it also expels a third and personally harmless form of energy called Chaos Waves that can be harnessed and used in Jumpgates. Chaos Emeralds are thought to exist in both Earthverse and Chaosverse, and it is unknown whether any other form of power can link universes. That being said, civilian shuttles and military ships can travel the links relatively easily, but a constant horror lies in the minds of scientists and even citizens on what would happen if the link were to fail midflight. So far, no example of such a catastrophe exists.


	19. Chapter 19: Economy and Trade

ECONOMY AND TRADE

INTRODUCTION

In the 1960s on Earth, there was a play called "Cabaret" in which the now iconic phrase had been coined: "Money Makes the World go Round". This one phrase seemed to stick with Humanity all throughout its years when it became an interstellar presence. The concept of money has been around since the dawn of civilization with most cultures, Humans included. It is impossible to pinpoint where the first use of currency or economy was used, but scholars believe that on Earth, the start of trading began in China where bartering (trading of objects specifically) was the norm. Trading here did not involve money as we know it, but people gave each other things like animals and services, that way one got what they wanted, and the other party got what they wanted.

HISTORY OF CURRENCY AND TRADE

Currency though did not make an occurrence in widespread use until around 2000 BCE in the Middle East where receipts were used. These receipts usually referred to quantities of grain that were allotted to citizens (grain is very important in the creation of bread). As time went on, physical mediums of trade emerged, which were the first instances of physical money. The Chinese are traditionally credited for the creation of physical money in their use of shells, known as cowry shells. Around 500 BCE, pieces of silver became the preferred medium. Soon, other metals like gold and copper joined them, creating different denominations of currency that was more or less universal since each piece was worth its weight. Money physically existed at the time, so governments could not arbitrarily change values at will. They could change tax rates however, so that citizens would pay a certain amount.

[[For more information on gold, silver, and copper coins, pick up "Money-Money: How Metal Changed the World" by Zachry Stoffler, 1971]]

In 1816, the British Empire set the Gold Standard, which was intended to avoid inflation. The United States then proceeded to shatter the Gold Standard during the depression starting in 1929. Since then, a worldwide movement was set in motion to end the Gold Standard.

In the late 20th Century, the revolution of using electronic money started to take hold, and would set the standard for future generations' use of such a standard. Credit Cards came about and evolved from physical notes of credit. People could essentially borrow money from banks to pay for their material possessions, but they needed to pay the money back. Credit Cards companies were referred to by some scholars as "nicer dressing loan sharks". Those that couldn't pay their bills were punished through bad ratings and in some cases, repossession.

Electronic money continued to make strives in the world. Alongside credit cards were Debit Cards, which actually held amounts of money that people put in. These would largely become popular as people realized that by spending money that they didn't even have, they would be dooming themselves to more harm than good.

In the 22nd Century, mankind started to leave Earth in droves and settle in other parts of the solar system. Mars was a particularly interesting experiment in interplanetary economies. Both were worlds that were under control of the United Nations at the time, and therefore were linked by similar economies. The standard was the United States Dollar (USD), and because of the obvious distances between the two worlds, electronic cash was by far the best way to facilitate trade because transactions took place at light speed, literally. A business venture would take little under an hour to go from Earth to Mars, and as a side effect, would actually help prevent black market deals from taking place, since authorities could have plenty of time to apprehend a criminal before their wire transfer even takes place. Even then, there was a fear that money could actually be 'lost' in transit if the receiver did not get the transfer, or if someone accidently intercepted the transaction (as it actually happened on a few occasions).

After Humans spread out to different worlds as of the 24th Century, people had Slipspace to aid in travel to a tight-knit group of worlds around the Solar System. At this distance, it would not be practical to use Earth currency denominations, so the United Nations decided that the best course of action would be to introduce the Credit (abbreviated as 'cR'). This was an electronic currency that was transferred via credit chips (or 'chits' as they were also called), and functioned very much like debit cards, however, there was still the issue of transporting credit records back to important worlds like Earth. This was solved in the same way messages were delivered: banking reports are delivered with passing ships that go through a system at any given chance. These reports are received by an AI as soon as the ship is within favorable communications range of Earth. From there, the reports are processed, and the transactions are made. Until the upload time, banking statements are kept on their respective worlds and handled by the local governments, providing minor transactions and whatnot. This was a highly effective plan and led to a bountiful period in Human economics, and it remained this way until the Covenant War in 2525.

Humanity entered into a total war scenario. The vast majority of funds went into military production of weapons, vehicles, and ships. It was also at this time Victory Gardens were starting to appear on Inner Colony worlds. While in the past, Victory Gardens were limited to the backyards of families; they were entire farmers' fields in the 26th Century, due to the vast amount of men and women fighting the Covenant. Spending increased as it was clear that Humanity was losing the fight. The 30 year war cost trillions of credits, and billions of lives to go along with it.

From there, it was a time to rebuild. Costs were incredibly high, so the Credit was revalued and people had to start fixing up the damage from the war. The halved amount of survivors (~20 billion people surviving) started to rebuild society, to great effect due to the revaluing in 2589.

From then on, it was all uphill. Thanks to a peace-treaty with the Sangheili, Humanity became a power once again, and in 3045, crossed the trillion mark in population, with close to a thousand worlds in their Empire, making it one of the largest in Known Space. The credit had remained strong, but was revalued approximately ten times in the years following the war. As of 3238, the Credit still stands, but it is not the only way of making purchases.

[[For more information on the rebound of the Credit, purchase "After the End", by Susanna Polack, available at many major bookstores]]

MONETARY MEDIUMS CO-EXISTING WITH THE CREDIT

In Human Space, there are approximately 10,343 forms of currency that exist alongside the Credit. These are Local Funds, meaning that areas sometimes have domestic means of paying and trading. These forms manifest themselves in physical forms of tender that is usually mined and pressed on their worlds of origin. Local Funds are generally used because of the time that it could take to wait for ships to take reports back to Earth (not to mention the jump times in between). Reports could stack up if people continuously used Credits, so local governments usually insist that the planetary currency be used mainly for convenience. For areas closer to Earth, one would find less of a presence, but for those farther and farther away, ships are much less frequent, and thus, Local Currency is used more.

There are exchange rates associated with Local Currencies so that their values can be computed to Credits and vice versa, that way when somebody leaves a certain world and goes to another, trading money is easy, however, there is a small five percent tax with every transaction due to 'handling fees' of bringing an account along over Slipstream Space. Passengers actually take their account information when leaving a world to go to another, which includes current balance.

Even on Earth, Local Currencies are used, simply because of the massive number of people living on Earth in cities that sometimes mount billions of inhabitants. One of the most widely used currencies on the planet aside from the Credit is the United States Dollar, which has confused economists as to why the currency stayed. Some believe that it was out of tradition, as before the space-faring days of Humanity, the US Dollar was one of the most widely used and accepted currency, as the US was one of the leading nations of back then. Other currencies used here are Yen (Japan), Wong (used in China and other surrounding countries), and the Pound Sterling (Used in the UK, although recently, the UK seems to be moving towards eliminating the Pound altogether).

Local Currencies are more common on the Outer Colony worlds. The most used seems to be the Lehn (originating on Dovak, and used in a bubble around ten light years in diameter. Anybody living in this bubble probably trades using Lehn), and the runner up is the Rupal (Commonly used on Kledskhien and other surrounding worlds. There are many others, but the staggering amount of currencies needs a whole document to list them out.

[[For a complete list of Local Currencies, worlds where they are used, and exchange rates, please consult the Interstellar Banking Union's Exchange page]]

MOBIUS

With the accidental discovery and subsequent integration of the planet Mobius in Galactic society only a few years ago, there has been debate as to whether it was wise to extend the Credit onto the alternate universe world, but the Monarchs are not willing for that type of shared information yet. Mobians have a currency known as the Mobian Dollar (Also commonly called Mobiums or 'Mobies'). They are roughly par with the Credit, and they are accepted for exchange rates. Though it is a Local Currency, it is a global one for a world of a couple billion inhabitants. Mobian Dollars are not electronic, meaning that banknotes and coins do exist and are physically involved in trade, although credit and debit cards do exist. As a rule, Mobians are give 1:1 trading privileges, meaning that for every Mobium exchanged, one credit will be given back. The Mobium is not the only currency used on the planet either, as the Chin (Used in the Dragon Kingdom), and the Shilling (Used in the anachronistic Kingdom of Mercia) also exist, but the latter does not have representation in the Galactic economy due to the lack of computers in Mercia. Despite this, many citizens of Mobius actually embrace the Credit despite it not being approved as a transferrable source of money by the government yet.

OTHER RACES AND TRADING

The Credit may be universal throughout Human space, but it is not used with other races. At this point, special measures need to be taken. If a race does not actually have a currency as we know it – the Datonians and the Korrid are a very clear example of this, other forms of trade must be considered, and harken back to the bartering days. If one side has something that the other wants, then negotiations must take place where a deal can be reached. This is never really a hostile encounter; on the contrary: both sides are generally very happy to negotiate terms as the kinder one is, the more likely you'll walk away with a bit more than you were expecting. For the Datonians, they will pay a fair amount of crystals that are formed on their home world for Titanium metal, or another material. There really isn't a fixed value as demands change all the time.

However, other races might use a separate form of currency that usually is universal throughout their respective empires such as the Sang (Sangheili), the Balo (Unggoy), and Gold (Kig-Yar). These other currencies can be calculated for a Credit and vice versa to purchase goods. The Sangheili actually possess decent AIs that can process these three additional currencies for a smooth operation. The Unggoy are generally buyers though, but have a fascination with Credits as it is a money that 'is not there yet stands as a mountain'.

The only other species on record that also uses the Credit is the Gallvente, but this is to be expected, as the Gallvente's society for the past 300 years has been influenced by Humanity's. They trade quickly with their neighbors and amassed themselves an enormous wealth in fusion energy, as they have had success with reactors despite their technological level. The Gallvente are powerful players on the Stock Market and are not to be trifled with.

STOCK MARKETS

Stocks are effectively pieces of companies that can be purchased for investment; the more of a company that a person owns, the more they can benefit from an investment. This means that if a person has purchased more than 50% of a company's stock, they are effectively the owner of a company, although a vast wealth to begin with is required. Stocks are traded on the Stock Market, which generally runs out of Earth from certain cities like New York, Chicago, Toronto, and Tokyo and broadcasts to other parts of Known Space. Stocks rise and fall daily, sometimes awarding a company with wealth, and sometimes even capable of wiping unlucky companies off the map.

Other Stock Markets exist in Human Space because of the distance issue, meaning that companies can rise and fall completely unknown to Earth unless they are big conglomerates that stretch all over Known Space. Recently, Mobians have been purchasing large stocks in environmental companies (using Credits no less), and have so far benefited from terraforming companies that intend to breathe life into dead worlds for future colonization.


	20. Chapter 20: Weapons

A/N: Now, I'd like to make a note that the timing of this upload is terrible as I'm sure you're all aware. This chapter of the Codex is only to be used as a world-building example, no different than a GURPS handbook, or the Star Wars weapons encyclopedia. Please keep this in mind as you read. The Codex explores ALL aspects of society, and this includes weapons. For better or for worse. I am not advocating using guns, or swords, or whatever. This is just there. If you find this chapter ideologically sensitive, you may not read it if you wish.

* * *

Section Forward:

_Now, just so I can get it out in the open, I am neutral in the idea of weaponry in our galactic society. I understand the need to recognize these devices, and the destruction that they can cause, but I also recognize that when taken into account, yes, we do have the option to defend ourselves too. As a Mobian, I have lived in a society where heavy regulation of ALL weapons existed, and only when arriving in Human Space do I see that this issue is much more complicated than simply banning a weapon. I'll explain the reasoning later on, but I choose not to give a personal decision on the matter, as it has no place in an impartial guide, even though my father was a military officer in the Royal Army. This is neither for nor against weapons. It simply describes what we know exists in the hopes that the reader will be better educated in galactic society. _

-Antoine D'coolette.

WEAPONS

In the universe that we live in, it is important to acknowledge that the primal instinct to conquest and dominate has not only evolved within the Human spirit but has cropped up all throughout known space, and quite possibly, beyond. With the desire to expand and conquest, comes the need for tools of war: weapons that can either be wielded by the common footsoldier, or mounted on starships kilometres in length. This chapter will examine the various types of weapons that one would find scattered throughout space, and how cultures view them.

A BRIEF HISTORY

An important aspect of any civilization is how we got to a certain point. We can look at the basic history of the progression of weapons for most cultures that allow us access to their historical documents, but for the most part, they can be the same in origin.

The first Human civilization dates back much farther than palaeontology suggested. From records as far back as five hundred to six hundred years ago (c. ~2600), we are aware that a galaxy-spanning empire of Humans existed up to 150,000 years ago if not much farther back. This civilization was extremely powerful; according to records, they were the only other species in that part of space to be a challenge to the Forerunners. This would make the First Empire far more advanced than that of the 33rd Century. However, at the end of the Human/Forerunner War, Humanity lost and was devolved and sent back to Earth. Any weapons or starships they created were destroyed and their empire crumbled. Then they had to start all over again.

The present Human civilization shall be the focus of this measure. The access of weapons has been evident since the dawn of Human history. What people forget is that the most deadly weapons are the ones attached to our arms. For many hundreds of thousands of years, the best way for early Humans to defend themselves was with their fists, which could stop some animals, and other hostile tribes, but it wasn't enough to stop other predators like tigers, bears, and whatnot lurking out there in prehistoric Earth.

Some time down the road, through the use of chipping stones, Humanity had discovered how to create fire, and with it, the first basic knives and spears. With these, Humans started to carve their niche. The various Human species on the planet started to become more of the dominant race, and they started to fight as well. The _Homo sapiens_ emerged as the strongest Human species. The _Homo Neanderthal_ eventually faded into extinction. The cha_manune_, as the Forerunners called the _sapiens_ rose to power on the planet.

Over thousands of years, someone made the major leap from a simple rock knife to a sword. Nobody is sure where the first real sword appeared, it is commonly believed that the first swords were actually evolved from scythes, which were farming tools to cut stalks of wheat or grass. These repurposed farming tools were great weapons and improvements were made over the years.

As time continued to march on for the world, nations contributed to the design of the sword. One of the most famous of the ancient world was the Gladius, the sword of bronze that was wielded by the Roman Empire, which consequentially helped them conquer a large chunk of Europe which the Empire held for well over two thousand years. Around the world, other swords were cropping up. The Japanese warriors – the Samurai had the curving Katana, which may have come from farming equipment, but became a weapon of war and beauty. The ancient English had Claymores and Longswords, and the Arabic peoples had scimitars, which seems to have been used for horseback warfare.

Back then, ranged combat was restricted to arrows and slings. Arrows were amazing in the ability that the archers could launch them nearly a mile with a good pull. Arrows could be tipped with poison, or even fire so that they could immolate a target quickly. These were great anti-siege engine weapons. Slings launched rocks that were supposed to do blunt force trauma to the enemy, which was an effective form of sniping if your slinger had good aim.

However, it was the Chinese of the Ancient World that was working on the next big thing. It was the Chinese who gave the world the next generation of weapon power that would shape the world of warfare to come and would follow mankind to the stars:

Gunpowder.

Chinese gunpowder was crude at first. It was not as refined as our models are today. Back then, the concept of a personal arm wasn't all practical. It was mainly used for cannons, which were the first rocket launchers of sorts. Also a crude approximation to a machine gun existed where arrows were loaded into a basket of gunpowder and were ignited.

Eventually the miracle of 'fire powder' would find its way to the West, making its appearance in cannons, which would be used from its invention to the contemporary age of today, yet the mechanics varied slightly. In that day and age, cannons were essentially long tubes that fired heavy balls at ships and groups of enemies, hopefully dealing damage to their cover and to direct damage. Gunpowder was also used in the earliest form of a modern weapon known as a 'musket'. A musket's design was revolutionary at the time. It was essentially cannon you could hold in your hands. A musket had a smooth bore, muzzle loading design, meaning that the inside of the barrel was completely unmarked, and shots needed to be loaded directly into it after every discharge. The smooth bore design meant that muskets were very inaccurate, only being useful for a few dozen yards before becoming worthless. Muskets also had to be lit at first. A charge was ignited which would also ignite the gunpowder, sending the ball towards its target. In a century or two, the charge was replaced by what was known as a 'percussion cap', which would light a spark in any weather.

The strength in muskets was when they were used _en masse_ by dozens, even hundreds of users. These characterized the line of soldiers that stood in a straight formation shooting volley after volley of charges at their enemies. These scenes were popularized in the American Revolutionary War of the mid 1700s, and the subsequent Civil War in the 1800s, but this scene was everywhere with muskets. Some larger versions could be upwards of a .75 caliber cannon which needed a stand to function. Some people had personal muskets and flintlock weapons – a deviation of a musket that required a piece of flint to scratch against the primer, producing a spark that would launch the charge. Some adorned their weapons with family crests, attractive curves and bright colors like gold.

As we go into the 1800s, more advanced versions of firearms appear. The Revolver first makes an appearance here as a weapon that can hold multiple shots at once, saving the need to replace charges after each shot. Shotguns also made a more pronounced appearance. These weapons fired shells which held multiple small balls called 'shot' that could pepper an enemy. These weapons were designed for close combat and protection while on wagons, where the shooter would ride beside the driver. Incidentally, this is where the phrase 'riding shotgun' came from. Shots are replaced by self-contained cartridges, which have the shot, the gunpowder, and the percussion cap all in one package. However, one needed to cock their weapons all the time between shots, but it became more streamlined, especially with lever action rifles where the user simply moved the lever and chambered another round. In 1861, Dr. Richard Gatling invented the Gatling Gun, a faux-automatic weapon which was a multi-barreled weapon. Ironically, it was originally designed to show how futile war really was. But the Gatling was not a true automatic weapon. That honor went to the Maxim Gun, designed in 1884, it used its own recoil to chamber the next shot, which would pave the way for future weapons.

By the 20th Century, it was clear that the age of warfare with swords and knives was coming to an end. Tools such as the automatic rifle, semi-auto pistols, airplane mounted Vickers guns, and grenades were the future.

The Second World War would see the invention of the first dedicated assault rifle, the _Sturmgewher '44_ , known as the Stg. 44 to the Allies. The German weapon would be an immediate inspiration to the Russian-built AK-47, which was, and still is, a popular assault rifle for Russian soldiers. Certain areas of Mobius also use this weapon because plans of it were aboard the colony ships for education. This one weapon worked so well that many nations in the easy blatantly copied its design, such as the Chinese Type-56 rifle, which was identical in design and function.

The United States became one of the forefront weapons developers throughout the 20th and 21st Century, developing all types of weapons including but not limited to assault rifles, SMGs, Sniper rifles, and one of their specialities, rocket launchers. Germany was also home to the illustrious Heckler & Koch, a company whose HK weapons like the G36, MP series of Submachine guns, G41, and even the PSG-1 Sniper rifle were seen all over the world. Heckler & Koch still exist in the 33rd Century. The Israeli Military Industries was also the first to develop a pistol that was specifically used to take out engine blocks of vehicles, the Behemoth .50 caliber Desert Eagle handgun, which I have had the opportunity to see in person on an active service Marine. The fact that this single weapon still exists tells me that the old designs still work best.

Warfare changed yet again over the next couple hundred years. It was in 1945 that one of the most important advances of Human destruction was achieved: the atomic bomb. The Bomb was first used in Hiroshima in 1945 at the closing days of World War II the destruction was outstanding; cities vanished from the face of the earth and people were burned away from existence. After another attack on Nagasaki, the Japanese formally surrendered unconditionally, frightened by this power . Tanks, supersonic aircraft, technology that was unheard of at the time continued to rethink destruction and make war one of the most sophisticated activities the world had ever known. When the leap to space was taken by mankind, the earliest form of warships existed, but space could not be weaponized thanks to a UN pact made in the 20th Century. The first usage of the UNSC Marine Corps was used here (although the arch enemies of the 25th Century, the Covenant, had no such agreement and armed all of their vessels with plasma weapons) and cemented Earth as an interstellar war power.

It was almost a shock when the first slipspace capable colony ships were invented after the world had forgotten about the apparent tragedy of Matthew Mobius and the Lost Million in 2290. Fighting had ceased for a few hundred years with emphasis on seeding the galaxy – a Diaspora of Human life which would stay with them to this day. Weapon development stagnated. This was a Golden Age with no need for violence, only prosperity. Entire worlds were colonized and terraformed in order to spread Humankind to the stars and make the species immortal.

By this time, the Terra Novans (later called Mobians when Matthew died) had used older weapons plans to make their society secure, but they were far less forceful than the people of Earth had been. They developed some non-lethal weapons in addition to their deadly analogues, making early Mobius a blunt and bladed sword society.

Humanity would have little need to make weapons widespread again until the Insurrection in the late 25th to early 26th Century. Humans who wanted independence from Earth's clutches resorted to demonstrating their views through terrorism and using bombs to destroy buildings, space stations and other targets. In 2552, an entirely different type of weapon was discovered. In the Iota Horologii system, the _Halcyon_-Class cruiser _Pillar of Autumn_ found a Halo.

A Halo was a tool of the Forerunners (See Article FORERUNNERS) that was used against the Flood (See Article FLOOD). Today, these impressive feats of mega-engineering are inactive, but many years ago, these had the potential to destroy all life on something as small as a planet to the entire galaxy, given the numbers. Some documents suggest that twelve Halos were constructed, but only seven were in location following the activation of the Array a hundred thousand years ago.

This was an ultimate weapon that was effective beyond belief as it destroyed neural functions using harmonic pulses that were accelerated to superluminal velocities. These pulses were thought to destroy the nervous system of sufficiently intelligent and biologically complex targets. It is theorized that this was also a reason why the fabled ruins of an even older alien civilization, the Precursors, are not seen today because their construction methods were said to be neural-based. Mind over matter in its actuality.

Today though, Humanity has made little strives in improving their vast array of weapons through various means like practicality and costs. Most weapons still fire projectiles and operate on the ancient and robust chemical powered, spring operated mechanisms first put into effect almost fifteen hundred years ago. Laser weapons do exist, but they are mostly seen in space with very few ground examples. Plasma on the other hand does exist on a wider base thanks to the Covenant, when Humans obtained weapons from their fallen soldiers, they reverse engineered them and made them better. Further explanation will be seen in the next section.

Humanity has the ability to make great strives to create, but they also have the ability to destroy. It is with this in mind that they are probably one of the most balanced races in the galaxy.

CLASSES

PISTOL

The smallest weapon in an armament, a pistol (also known as a 'handgun' or a 'sidearm') is a one-handed device that has a small magazine size and usually fires in semi-auto mode – meaning that for every time the trigger is pulled, a round discharges. It is usually the cheapest and easiest to obtain, and arms trainers always suggest switching to a sidearm rather than reloading your main weapon in a combat situation. Bullets can range in caliber from a measly .10 AUTO to the gigantic .75 Shiva used only in a few models. Larger bullets have been said to exist.

A rarer version of a pistol is a revolver that was discussed in the last section. Generally, one would find these more in law enforcement since these are for the most part single action weapons, meaning that the hammer must be pulled back for another shot, but double action revolvers have been known to exist in some parts.

In terms of customization, these weapons are generally changed cosmetically, with some red dot sights and laser sights added.

In my testing, I've discovered that this is the best choice for a frontiersman or any civilian who wants safety because handguns are concealable and are legal in most parts of Human space with caliber restrictions, and low capacity magazines – anything smaller than five rounds is legal.

MACHINE PISTOL

Slightly higher on the weapon food chain is the Machine Pistol, which boasts a much higher firing rate than its semi-auto counterparts. Machine pistols generally fire full automatic or in bursts, allowing the user to get more bullets downrange in a least amount of time, which may be faster than Submachine guns in some cases. They are also much more maneuverable than SMGs, but burn through ammunition much faster. This is strictly a personal defense weapon that falls out of range relatively quickly. These are a bit harder to obtain because of their firing rate, but they find use in law enforcement just fine.

The term 'Machine Pistol' has been thrown around since the MP-44 (which literally translated to 'Machinepistol – 1944', and some suggest it was in use with the Ruger 'Broomhandle' in the 1910s), but as time went on, it became its own defined class that we still see today.

I have not fired an MP on the range, so I am not quite sure what the kick is like, but I can be assured that I would need a firm grip when using such a weapon. Civilians are not allowed to own these.

SUBMACHINE GUN

One of the most well defined weapons seen on a battlefield, a Submachine gun (also known as an 'SMG' or a 'Submash') has the firing speed of an assault rifle and a shortened length that allows better mobility. Some argue that the difference between an assault rifle and a submachine gun is its barrel length, and others argue that it's the round used. SMGs generally fire smaller rounds like the 9, 10, and 11mm rounds. High caliber shots like the .45 ACP have been seen for hundreds of years in such weapons because of its versatility and knockdown power. Some guns use caseless ammunition, which is a great way to make a more efficient bullet because the propellant surrounds the bullet so when it fires, there is no waste, but it doesn't see much use because it's more expensive to make than a traditional bullet. Historically, the M7 SMG used by the UNSC in the 26th Century used caseless ammo and was considered one of the best SMGs for its time because of its fire rate and large magazine size.

For a tactical approach, SMGs are best used in close quarters. Boarding parties are often armed with SMGs because the smaller bullets are less likely to penetrate a starship's hull and possibly cause a blowout. Their smaller magazines are also easier to handle and replace than a larger assault rifle.

SMGs are legal for most citizens with magazine size restrictions. This was one of the first guns I test fired for this section, and I have to say, my particular model, the Skylark K2 was a kicker boasting a 750 RPM firing rate and a thirty round .200 cartridge magazine. Next time I'll brace properly.

SMGs are also one of the most common classes around the galaxy, because Humans are one of the few races that have made what can be called an Assault Rifle. Most other races, such as the Datonians, have developed what can be classed as an SMG. As such, these are what you will likely find in your travels of greater Known Space.

ASSAULT RIFLE

The workhorse of the modern Human military might. An assault rifle is standard issue for the vast majority of Marines and Army out there. This is an iconic weapon that has been seen in every major conflict since World War II. Boasting a longer barrel length than the SMG, and an impressive firing rate, not to mention amiable range qualities, an assault rifle is a good choice for a fighting force.

The defining qualities of an assault rifle is the fact that it uses a bigger bullet than smaller guns, giving it much more range. It can also be modified for a variety of roles such as squad support where it can take upwards of a _two hundred round magazine_, designated marksman, where it can be fitted with a high powered scope and longer barrel (bipod optional), and even a grenadier role where the user can clip on a grenade launcher which can fire a variety of ordinance, including but not limited to 40mm impact, airburst, and fragmentation grenades, and it can even take an underslung shotgun.

Assault rifles are truly one of the most versatile weapons ever conceived in this respect since it can fit a variety of roles. It can also fit a variety of modifications. For instance, Misriah Arms which has been the number one manufacturer for many decades in a row now, places an electronic suite telling the user how many rounds are left in the magazine and also includes a compass for lost troopers. These are luxuries though as they can sometimes malfunction from EMP pulses which is why they aren't entirely widespread. Some rifles, and indeed all other weapons, employ a special magazine style called a 'bullpup' where the magazine is placed behind the trigger because this is where the firing mechanism is. In truth, this is impressive because it reduces the length of the gun and allows more mobility without sacrificing fire rate or range.

A variety of assault rifle is known as a carbine. This is essentially as shortened version of an assault rifle that improves mobility and weight, but it suffers in range and even somewhat in accuracy. Some manufacturers remedy this by improving the rifle twist in the barrel to compensate. A carbine can be more bare-bones than the original model by being stripped down in the body allowing even more maneuverability.

Assault rifles allow a wide variety or cartridges to be fired. These are usually heavier rounds that allow range and power. Round such as the 7.62mm have been seen in many guns in this class and is immortalized by the pure power of the round. Lighter rounds such as the 6.8mm seem more balanced in both categories and the lighter ones such as the .223 get more range while losing kinetic transfer in the process.

All of these weapons are amazingly modifiable by a trained used so that everything down to the hammer can be mixed and matched for an optimized experience.

Other rifle family classes can include the battle rifle, which has heavier rounds and focuses on all categories and excels in them all, and even the ancient bolt-action rifles, which is still used by some today. This is the barest of them all and needs to be charged every time you want to fire a round, but this is extremely accurate and is capable of firing heavier rounds which have been reputed to blow the weapon out of the hands of the unwary. Rounds for bolt action weapons have been reputed to be as high as 100 caliber.

In terms of civilian ownership, this is a tricky one. Sometimes civilian models of these guns are extremely cut down. Sometimes pistol grips are removed. Sometimes magazines are restricted to low capacity single stack columns, and sometimes the stocks are fixed, and even then, caliber is restricted. On some worlds, like Earth, they are NOT allowed for 'self defense', but target shooting has been deemed a suitable compromise. All civilian models are semi-automatic only. Modification of such an action is illegal.

SHOTGUN

One of the oldest modern weapons, the shotgun was originally a sporting rifle that was used to hunt game and wasn't intended to be used for combat in any way. During World War I, it was known as the Trench Gun, and later was adopted by military forces all over the world.

Shotguns fire shells of shot, as opposed to singular rounds fired by other guns. Shot consists of tiny balls of lead that's packaged together in the shell and spreads out after leaving the barrel. Shotgun shells are measured in 'gauges' (e.g. 12 gauge, 8 gauge, 6 gauge) which indicates the number of pellets in the shell.

Shotguns operate through multiple means that have become apparent throughout the centuries. One of the oldest is known as lever operation. This is a simple procedure where shells are loaded into the chamber from the magazine through use of a lever. The earliest example of this was the M1887 designed by John Browning, firearms mogul of the 19th and 20th Century. Lever operated shotguns have been in decline, but several companies kept the concept alive for sporting purposes. The Human hunting manufacturer Clairvoyance Firearms has recently created the CL-38, a lever operated, magazine fed shotgun that is useful on hunting trips, but have surprisingly been bought by military units as well. The concept is archaic in design, but it still hangs in there. However, this style of shotgun is descending into extinction fairly quickly and not a millennium to soon.

A design that has made a comeback in the late 26th Century is the double barrel which is almost exclusively used for hunting purposes. Because of its' low magazine size (two shells for two barrels), military units are not interested in putting this into combat situations, but it is fairly easy to get a hold of on frontier worlds where top name manufacturers are not readily available for colonists and farmers. This elegant weapon is also used for nefarious purposes. The sawed-off shotgun is an example of the double barrel used for criminal actions because this is quite literally a hunting shotgun having the barrels 'sawed-off' for maneuverability. When one encounters a gun like this, more likely than not, it has or will be used in a robbery of some sort. Hunting shotguns usually take 12 lower gauge rounds and fire spreads like birdshot rather than buckshot and elephant shot.

The most common is pump action. A pump action shotgun, as its name implies, has a mechanism that requires the user pull it back to recharge the hammer as well as chamber a new shell. This produces the famous '_shok shok_' sound that people expect out of this type of shotgun. These are commonly loaded with tubular magazines located either over or under the barrel, but magazine versions are known to exist, and the vast majority of military units use pump action shotguns for their reliability.

In 1972, a true automatic shotgun was developed known as the AA-12. This would usher in the class of auto-shotguns. These perform just like any regular shotgun, except they have automatic fire. For a time, it was assumed that these would drive pump action shotguns into extinction, but manufacturers decided to keep the classes separate, because auto shotguns have bigger mechanisms than their pump action cousins, and the fact that they are more expensive to produce and make rounds for. Today, automatic shotguns are used in room clearing an MOUT operations for military forces.

Civilians are allowed to own shotguns in large numbers. Smaller communities will allow these weapons as home-defense items with magazine size restrictions and 20 gauge ammunition, sometimes as small as birdshot. Double barreled, break action shotguns are not affected.

MACHINE GUN

Machine guns are some of the most popular, and the most misrepresented weapon class in the world. When most people refer to a machine gun, they are referring to any automatic weapon with a high rate of fire. A machine gun though is represented as a weapon that fires assault-grade match ammo at a very high rate with massive amounts of ammunition. Machine guns have existed as far back as the Maxis gun discussed in the history section. From that point, they kept on improving like in the Vickers and Lewis guns mounted on airplanes, to the MG-42 wielded by Hitler's Wermacht, to the M249 SAW used in the 20th Century, the AG-44 of the 25th, the AIE-486H used in the 2500s, and many more that followed.

There are two main classes of machine guns. The first one that is used as a squad support weapon is known as a Light Machine Gun, abbreviated to LMG. This machine gun is light enough to be held in a person's hands and carries at least a hundred rounds of ammunition and discharges at a very fast rate. Upwards of 1,000 rounds a minute, although faster guns have been known to exist.

Even though they are mobile, these weapons are heavy and require a prone position in order to be used the best. In theory though, one can use an LMG standing, sitting, even moving . All Light Machine Guns are equipped with bipods that can be used to stabilize a weapon upon walls or the ground. Magazines can include a belt-fed style where rounds are fed into the chamber by a link or box magazine style which is easier to move around, but doesn't hold as many rounds. Typically one would also see drums for weapons with massive counts of ammo for vehicles. LMGs can be mounted on transports and aircraft for point defense. A good example of this was the M247 LMG that was seen mounted on Pelican dropships during the Human/Covenant War in the 26th Century.

The second commonly used type of machine gun is a Heavy Machine Gun or HMG. As the name implies, an HMG is bigger in size than its man-portable counterpart. HMGs are distinctive because of their physical size over Light Machine Guns. HMGs are not typically man portable and need a crew to move and assemble it. These types of weapons have been in service ever since World War I. One of the earliest known HMGs was known as the Nordenfelt Gun that fired 1-inch shells from laterally lined barrels. One of the most famous of all of these guns was the M2 Browning, which fired the massive .50 caliber round. HMGs generally follow the rule that the fired rounds gravitates around 12.7mm in size. The rule goes that if anything is smaller than this, it's an LMG, and if it's larger than 15mm, it becomes another class of machine gun altogether, the Autocannon.

Autocannons are much more massive than their smaller brethren and can be used for multiple purposes, be it anti-aircraft, anti-infantry, or anti-vehicle. What separates an Autocannon from Machine guns is that these weapons fire shells over bullets, meaning that they can be filled with an explosive agent that detonates upon impact, whereas a machine gun would fire a simple lead round. Autocannons can be on vehicles, and on ships whether they are in the sea or space.

Due to many issues, civilians are NOT permitted to own a machine gun of any sort due to it being labeled as an overly destructive weapon.

SNIPER RIFLES:

A Sniper Rifle is a term that refers to a long range gun that can be mounted with a high powered scope. Weapons like these have existed for a long time on the battlefield. The first 'sniper rifles' were hunting rifles that were used to hunt from long distances using primitive versions of optical scopes. Rifles like these fire high power rounds starting as small as a .308 cartridge and moving up well past the fifty caliber level. These shots can attain speeds of well over a mile and a half. Kills have been recorded from ranges at well over half that. Sniper Rifles in militaries often have specially trained users that work with a second individual called a Spotter that can analyze shots and determine where a sniper can fire next. Spotters can be replaced by ballistic computers that can analyze things like wind, distance, and elevation, but militaries have recognized that a bond between a sniper and a spotter actually _raises _the efficiency of the sniper, probably due to socialization and efficiency of Human minds over machinery at times. This is not to say that a sniper cannot even work alone without any other devices. Some snipers can guess the average height of a person, assuming that the target is from an Earth-normal gravity world and the frame of references can be easily guessed too, from there, distance can be measured as well along with wind direction.

So it can come as no surprise that with the difficult nature of snipers in general, that their weapons are just as varied. It is possible that snipers themselves are _the _most important unit in any modern military due to their ability to act as advance scouts that can pave the way for whole armies. In some instances, a single shot from their weapons can end a war before one actually begins. Historically, snipers have opted to use a weapon system known as a bolt action rifle. This weapon has a single shot mechanism. After a shot is fired, the used is required to charge the bolt that ejects the spent cartridge, charges the hammer, and reinserts a new cartridge into the chamber ready to fire. This process, while slow, is reliable and with deliberate slowness, can prevent a sniper's discovery. Bolt action rifles are notable because many of them can be considered hunting rifles when one removes the scope. For example, the Orion Arms OM-50D is sold in markets as a civilian hunting rifle that fires a .30-30 cartridge, but it also exists in militias of many worlds, except chambered in a larger, .40-30 round, and armed with a high powered scope. While considered archaic by modern militaries, snipers know their weapons and can use them no matter what time period they come from. Even in the 33rd Century, there are reports of snipers using reproduction models of the M21 rifle, an ancient design that has been used back in the 21st Century, proving that if the design is efficient, a 1200 year old design can find use today.

The M21 brings us to the next version of sniper rifle, the Semi-Automatic version. Semi automatic sniper rifles are hands-down, the much more common version that are found in the field today. They have a hand up over bolt actions simply for their rate of fire and quicker reload speeds. Semi-Automatic sniper rifles are relatively newer than their bolt action brothers, with historians believing that they are about two hundred years younger than the latter, appearing in the later 20th Century. While this gap seems negligible, especially by today's standards, their dotted use in history makes it very difficult to pin when they were first used. Semi-Autos are argued by its proponents today as being much more versatile and varied than bolt actions thanks to their modular nature and ability to be linked up to modern Heads Up Displays. A sniper can quickly change his weapon from long range to short range if need be, something that Bolt Actions seem to be lacking in that department. When the difference between survival is ten rapid shots and one shot and a charging, the Semi-Auto wins out. The two big producers of Semi-Automatic rifles in the UNSC are Misriah Armories and Acheron Security. Both produce a wide variety of systems for general use, even for non-snipers. Take, for example, one of Misriah's most recognized versions, the SRS-99 sniper rifle system. The design itself has had a long service life, beginning in 2460 in the UNSC Army and ending around 2650, a staggering 190-year lifespan. The design was modular, had many submodels, and could be used by a wide variety of personnel. The SRS-99 is also special because it also shows that aside from regular bullets, Sniper Rifles can fire flechettes, essentially a 'bullet arrow' that has stabilizing fins on the end of it. Specifically, some sniper rifles have APFSDS (Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot) rounds with a caliber of 14.5x114mm, a round famous for being used by tanks in the Soviet Era. Nowadays, hundreds of models exist from multiple manufacturers. The concept of a Sniper Rifle is not even restricted to Humans, Datonians are notable for long distance projectile weaponry comparable to that of Human Sniper Rifles. The designation is _Lvvekei_, which translates as 'Long Gun'. Mobian Sniper Rifles are more often than not bolt action due to the lack of weapons research in that particular universe. The designs are based on older drafts and in some cases, old continued models are used in revived designs. The Covenant are also in possession of Sniper Rifles, but more on that later.

Hunting versions of sniper rifles can be used by civilians with caliber and magazine restrictions. Typically, semi-automatic sniper rifles are considered off-limits to most weapon users as they tend to be hunters, but this rule may vary on some worlds.

[[I've found that Sniper Rifles are very heavy too. A good rifle will weigh on the upper side of 18 kilograms. Very heavy. The kick is also something you have to watch out for. My first day on the range with one, the scope slammed into my eye and cut my nose bridge. At least I hit the target at over a thousand yards! Pretty good for a Mobian!]]

ROCKET LAUNCHERS

There's not much to say about Rocket Launchers, or more formally, Shoulder Fired Missile Launchers. These weapons are very old when we take their relative design into account. Some may argue that the oldest known form of rocket launchers goes back to ancient Chinese design where self-propelled weapons could travel long distances before exploding. These are good points of reference in history, but we don't see very many rockets used in Combat before the Second World War. The two models that stand out are the US Bazooka and the German Panzerschreck , ever since then, multiple models have been known to exist such as the Russian RPG-7 which was the face of terrorism during the 20th and 21st Centuries, the LAW, which was a disposable single shot weapon, TheIG-97 Ignam, a vehicle tracking infrared guided launcher created in 2340, the M41 Jackhammer that saw service in the Human-Covenant War, and more recently, the X2M, a multi-shot mini rocket recoilless rifle, which entered service 20 years ago. These weapons have the advantage of not having any recoil when fired, instead expelling superhot exhaust when launched. People are warned never to stand behind those firing rockets lest they get roasted by the flame.

Traditionally, most rocket launchers have been loaded by barrel. Sometimes the weapons have preloaded barrels that lock onto the firing chamber when ready to use. Sometimes they can be loaded by magazine as seen by the Krinkov PKA-90 Shoulder Mounted Recoilless Rifle. Most rockets are self-arming after leaving the barrel, meaning that they must travel a set distance before becoming much more dangerous. Some models are cheap to make as they can be non-guided weapons that don't need to track things. Others are much more sophisticated that can lock on to aircraft or vehicles. Anti-Armor launchers are known as ATWs or LAWs (Anti Tank Weapons or Light Anti-tank Weapons respectively); launchers designed to take down aircraft are commonly referred to as SAMs (Surface to Air Missile). These can be shoulder-fired or shot from a larger launcher.

In some cases, these launchers can even fire mini-nukes. These weapons are known as Tactical Nuclear Launchers, a scary thought for any infantry unit. These launchers rely on heat and radiation and can destroy a lot of vehicles as well. The reason these are not used often is that they are deemed 'Extremely Deductive Weapons' by the UN government. Tactical Nukes must be primed before their shot and can only be fired from special launchers created to launch them. In almost 600 years, Tactical Nuclear Launchers have been used in Combat Theaters a grand total of twenty times.

Civilian ownership is a criminal act as these weapons are extremely dangerous and can cause untold collateral damage. They are mainly controlled by militaries, but terrorists like the URF can obtain crude models that are free-fire relatively easily. Citizens are NOT to approach any worlds known to be under URF as suspicious vessels will be fired upon

[[For more information on URF danger zones, contact the Colonial Administration Authority for more details]]

GRENADES & GRENADE LAUNCHERS

Grenades have multiple and diversified use in the field of warfare and police use on multiple worlds. It is also one of the few weapons that have analogues across all species with advanced weapon systems. A typical grenade is defined as having a shell that holds a propellant, detonation material, or other non-lethal substances. When one thinks of a grenade, one typically thinks of an ovoid-shaped explosive device, which is known as a fragmentation grenade. This is the most represented, but not the only model of weapon.

Other lethal grenades are Plasma Grenades. While initially a Covenant weapon, following the war in 2553, Humanity started producing a model which is still used today. This is the M13 PD HR (Plasma Dispersion, High Radiation) Plasma Grenade. This does have the sticky properties of the T-2 Plasma Grenade used by the Covenant, but have a much more metallic and angular shell and a killswitch plasma release mechanism. Next are Incendiary Grenades. Officially, these classified as Cruel and Unusual Weapons that were outlawed by the Geneva Convention Summit of 2450. However, the Geneva Conventions were only protecting _Human combatants_. As Humanity encountered the Covnent in 2525, they were free to use these to their heart's content, and they still can be used. Incendiary Grenades typically have a flammable gel like napalm or defoliant in their shells that are released and lit automatically after being thrown via timer. The blast usually coats the target with the gel causing massive physical damage. Finally, the heavy hitters are Nova grenades. These devices use an anti-matter charge to create a giant explosion that destroys much around it in a thermonuclear blast. These weapons are also under the Geneva Conventions due to the high collateral damage, but they are also prohibited under the UNSC Lawful Weapon Deployment Act. Nova Grenades are often times erroneously referred to as Nuclear Hand Grenades, or even their much more humorous nickname, Holy Hand Grenades (since they bring the wrath of God, and his enemies shall snuff it). These grenades are better launched than tossed for obvious reasons. More on that later. An alien example of a grenade would be the Jiralhanae Spike Grenade, which as its name suggests, shoots spikes out at high speed and heat. These spikes usually pierce the targets, causing internal damage and burning as they pass through. These weapons are notable because ONLY the Brutes use devices like these. Spike Grenades are considered 'too brutal' for use by Human soldiers, especially against other Humans. Against aliens on the other hand, most were willing to make exceptions.

Nonlethal grenades are typically used for incapacitation, disorientation, or even deception. These devices do not kill, but allow quick incapacitation. The most commonly used nonlethal grenade is the Flashbang, which, as its name suggests, blinds and deafens the target in a flash of light and sound. These are room-clearing devices that are commonly used by police officers, security personnel, and military forces. While not designed to kill, they can aid in taking down enemy combatants. Usually though, when these are used, people are wanted alive. The second nonlethal grenade mentioned here is the Concussion Grenade. These devices typically emit a quick burst of sound similar to a Flashbang, but much louder that can cause damage to the eardrums. This fills a similar spot to the Flashbang. Targets grab their heads in pain, which is why it's called a concussion grenade. Next is the Stinger Grenade. These ones go through multiple names (e.g. Grapeshot, Hornets, Hornet's Nest, Shotbombs, Prickly Pears, etc.). Stingers typically involve a hard shell that encases multiple hard rubber balls. When the primer is set, the shell blasts apart sending the balls out at high speed. These cause stinging pain on bodies of the targets that leave bright red marks. The device is a deterrent weapon. Typically these are used to break up prisoner fights. Now we move onto EMP grenades. Electro-Magnetic Pulse grenades are typically used against electronics to great effect. When an enemy is using a drone or gadgets, an EMP grenade will fry the electronics, sometimes permanently. The rise of EMP grenade usage in the last two hundred years has prompted gun manufacturers to either start placing backup Iron Sights on weapons again or design EMP-hardened weapons. The latter being more expensive over a course of a fiscal year per weapon capita, but much more efficient in a wider variety of planetary environments, especially useful against Covenant EMP weapons. Next is the gas grenade. Gas grenades, much like Flashbangs are used by police forces to incapacitate perps and other hostiles. Due to their nature as a sedative, they cannot be used against mechanical targets like drones or robots. The grenades can be fine-tuned with a variety of gasses, ranging from a laughing gas, a tear gas, a sedative, and even in some cases a paralytic agent. There are even rumors of gas grenades having nerve gas within them, but this is considered illegal and using nerve gas in close quarters is considered a war crime. Next is the Sonic Grenade. Sonic grenades come in two flavors, the first of which we covered earlier as a Concussion Grenade. The other is known as a Screecher. Screechers emit a high pitched howl of approximately 150 decibels. For a Human being, the highest recorded threshold of pain is 130 decibels. Screechers are constantly sounding off and are best used to disperse a crowd. One will more likely find these among police forces to disperse crowds or disarm criminals. Sonic grenades like these are often the opposite of what people may want as these things broadcast troops' positions. That and the fact that alien thresholds of pain can be higher than others.

[[For example, Mobians have much more sensitive ears than Humans. A Human can hear upwards of 20,000 Hz. Mobians averages change depending on species, but the average is considered around 50,000 Hz. A Sonic grenade that is incredible painful for a Human can potentially be much worse for a Mobian, causing permanent hearing loss. In contrast, there are those on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unggoy hearing is not considered as high of a hearing range, able to hear between approximately 2 to 12,000 Hz. So it's reasonable to assume that a Sonic grenade that debilitates a Human must be adjusted to debilitate an Unggoy]]

A quieter version of Sonic grenades actually serve an excellent purpose for stealth teams. These grenades are known as Clickers, and their name betrays their function. Clickers make subtle noises that tend to stand out in quiet environments. They're uncommon sounds one would hear in a given environment, a whistle, a can being knocked around, a glass breaking; all of these draws attention towards the Clicker. Clickers are best used in dark environments where the grenade itself (size dimensions vary) cannot be spotted. The goal with this is to sneak past a target without alerting them. However, like many things, enemies can wise up and ignore them, choosing to search the area instead. Sometimes, good old fashioned sneaking works fine too. Another way militaries use visual trickery to get around a target is through Holographic Grenades (also known as Holodrones). Originally a piece of Covenant equipment, Holodrones saw use mainly as communication devices by the UNSC. However, Holodrones do have use in military situations where versions of them are tossed and project full-size versions of soldiers. These are extremely useful in firefight situations as they can take the heat off pinned down soldiers while they regroup and attack. Sometimes faking the enemy into thinking they are being blindsided can make the difference in a battle. As Sun Tzu said, "all warfare is based on deception".

Lastly, this grenade sports an ability to tag enemies who may otherwise be immobile or are too far away for motion trackers to pick up. Beacon Grenades can be thrown into an enemy garrisons and can mark any number of hostiles within its pulse range. The frequencies emitted by these devices are too low for combatants to hear but strong enough to track the shapes of enemies. When the pulse goes off, enemy 'silhouettes' are present in the pulse, which are immediately checked to be bearing an IFF tag. If they don't, they are labeled as hostile unless otherwise told to the soldiers. Beacon Grenades work with non-organic combatants as well, meaning that drones, robots, and even mechs can be tagged by the grenade software. They are also reusable.

Civilians are NOT permitted to have ANY grenade of ANY type.

::**NOTE FROM THE UEG, UNSC, and CAA: CIVILIANS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO TAKE A TRAINING COURSE FOR WEAPONS AND MUST HAVE A MANDATORY BACKGROUND, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND CRIMINAL RECORD TEST IN ORDER TO BE PERMITTED A CARRYING LICENSE - THESE LICENSES STATE THAT THESE WEAPONS MAY BE USED FOR SELF-DEFENSE, BUT UNLAWFUL DISCHARGE WILL BE PUNISHABLE BY FINES, IMPRISONMENT, AND IN SOME EXTREME CASES, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT** (UEG CIV-JUST 227.81 SEC 8 SUBSEC 2). **CITIZENS ON OUTER COLONY WORLDS, FARMING WORLDS, OR WORLDS WHERE HOSTILE LIFE EXISTS CAN BE GRANTED SPECIAL CASES TO HAVE HEAVIER WEAPONS, BUT THIS IS A PRIVILEDGE, NOT A RIGHT. THESE SPECIAL LICENSES CAN AND WILL BE REVOKED IF SAID CITIZENS BREAK THE LAW TO A MAJOR DEGREE. SAID CITIZENS WHO CONTINUE TO OPERATE HIGHER CLASS WEAPONS AFTER A LICENSE HAS BEEN REVOKED IS PUNISHABLE BY FINES, POSSIBLE IMPRISONMENT, AND IN SOME EXTREME CASES, DEPORTATION or EXTRADITION** (UEG CIV-JUST 227.81 SEC 9 SUBSEC 7). **CONTACT YOUR CAA REPRESENTATIVE TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL LICENSES**::

EXOTIC WEAPONS

When the term 'exotic' is used, I don't mean that we're speaking about weapons from a tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific, but weapons that are less common and much more powerful than conventional slug throwing firearms that we usually see out there. There are a few types of weapons out there that are used by other races, and some that defy classification altogether. Here's just a few to name some off.

LASERS:

LASER is short for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. These are essentially excited beams of light that have had their energy output upped exponentially by stimulating them as the name suggests. Whenever one thinks of lasers, the first thing that comes to one's mind are the old science fiction movies of the 20th and 21st century, most notably _Star Wars_ where the term 'blasters' were more commonly used (although blasters are _not_ lasers in the conventional sense of the word), and _Star Trek_, where the crew of the _Enterprise_ used PHASR's instead (PHASsed Energy Rectification, but not a laser), but lasers we see today are more neutered in terms of what one would be conditioned to see through science fiction. Lasers are actually widespread in society, ranging from scientific, recreational, and industrial use as well. Yes, indeed they are also used as weapons.

Lasers, or Directed Energy Weapons in their proper name, are high intensity beams of light and heat that are projected from a hand-held device that can do massive amounts of damage and give off radiation in the target. It was long thought that Lasers would be the primary sidearm of military forces of the shiny and optimistic future. However, this is not the case as these devices are expensive to make, and very burdening to the user. Success was found in the use of the M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle, commonly known as the 'Spartan Laser' during the 26th Century. This massive device ate up power from a nuclear battery in its recesses and fired one powerful beam of light that could deliver explosive results should it hit a fuel source. This rifle, however, was limited in its use, suffering from a five-shot battery that eliminated extensive use from the battlefield. However, several years later, the UNSC found use of the M6 on vehicles like the Pelican Dropship which gave it a great advantage of radiating heat and firing much more shots alongside traditional ammo sources. As time went on, weaponsmiths gained the ability to shrink down the size of these weapons to the point where one might be likely to encounter them on the battlefields. Nowadays, Human laser weapons resemble bullet-firing rifles, but a wide-bore lens is in place of a barrel. This is actually a series of lenses that refract light beams to the point where the beam would reach a powerful intensity when it streaks towards the target. Typically, these light beams would actually be invisible, but sometimes, dust in the air can reveal the light bursts as they instantly streak to their targets.

Ammunition is in battery cartridges typically. These are more or less universal as it allows users to do away with fiddling with things like caliber or size. Typically the ratio of a battery is three shots per battery before it is ejected from the weapon just like any spent shell casing. This means that whenever a battery magazine is inserted, the user must charge the weapon by locking the first battery into place. Charge can be increased by removing safeties on the batteries themselves, which combines three relatively weaker shots into a larger, more powerful shot. However, this means that the battery is immediately depleted. Instead of thirty shots in a magazine, the user has ten. Whenever a shot is fired, the heat from the usage is expelled in a burst that sounds like a combination of a bang and a hiss. If the weapon overheats, emergency ports will open and vent the battery directly into the surrounding air. This can cause accidental burns if the user is not careful.

Multiple civilizations have come up with laser weapons. Humanity is one, secondly is the Gallvente, who were knowledgeable in the use of lasers Pre-Contact, and the Aylids use lasers alongside conventional weapons with cooling provided by their natural environment. Mobians were widely in favor of all weapons being banned following the accidental death of Prince Emerson at the hands of a careless Overlander child, but it's been easier said than done. Laser weapons are widely used with the Echidna, who use them over bullet firing guns. The reason is not because they are necessarily more powerful than the other, but because they view projectiles as 'primitive' and 'barbaric' compared to the allegedly more advanced laser weapons. Overlanders primarily used lasers as well, but they fire using battery packs on their back; just as universal as battery cartridges, but more man portable. More charge means more firing, and the packs themselves can be recharged at bases, whereas battery cartridges are dry when they are ejected. They can be refilled, but they are commonly not.

PLASMA WEAPONS

Plasma weapons are ones that the Covenant Races and Humanity has been familiar with for quite a while. Plasma is ionized energy that is hurled through magnetic pockets at enemies. Despite the common misconception, plasma weapons are _not_ lasers. Plasma weapons are commonly used by the Covenant Client races any time between their inception and after the Schism in 2552. These weapons can range from being Plasma Pistols, Plasma Rifles, with other classes available. Humanized versions do exist of Plasma Weapons, and they see excellent markets with military contractors.

PLASMA PISTOL:

A small sidearm usually carried by lower caste soldiers, plasma pistols fire globs of green plasma with high velocity. What plasma pistols are famous for is the iconic overcharge which involves holding down the trigger letting a charge build up. From this point, an overheat is imminent. The idea is to allow the weapon to fire in which it tracks enemies and hits them, causing massive damage. If the target is carrying a personal shield, it will likely be shorted out. In addition to this, electronic devices may be effected by an EMP pulse that is achieved when the bolt hits, temporarily shutting down all functions. Sometimes it can permanently shut things down.

PLASMA RIFLE:

Larger than a plasma pistol, plasma rifles features a rapid fire action that allows bursts of bolts to be shot at one time. Sometimes two, sometimes three at a time. Battery size is larger than that of a plasma pistol as well, leading to longer periods of shooting without overheating. Covenant versions of the weapon have a blue sheen with radiating fins poking out of the back. Red versions exist which are characteristically carried by Jiralhanae warriors. These Brute Rifles fire faster than their blue counterparts, but they also overheat quicker as well. Human plasma rifles are gunmetal grey in accordance to their weapon aesthetics, Angular and good at optimizing accuracy, Human plasma rifles don't have the punch or the speed of Covenant versions, but they have the range, which can give them an edge in combat.

PLASMA REPEATER:

Similar to the Plasma Rifle in terms of a plasma rifle, Plasma repeaters have extremely high fire rates courtesy of a rotating carousel housing in the center of the weapon's body. This allows more opportunities to fire because every spacing in the carousel is a 'barrel' for the weapon like a pepperbox. Overheating comes quickly thanks to this design, but their cooldowns are quicker thanks to the ability to manually cool them down whenever the user desires. Plasma repeaters generally only find usage in the Covenant and outer groups. They aren't found in other civilizations in large numbers.

PLASMA LAUNCHER:

Essentially a rocket launcher of plasma as the name clearly describes, the plasma launcher has self-guiding balls of energy that seek out targets in groups as large as four. Scientists aren't sure how this effect is achieved, and even the Covenant don't know, as their weapons are essentially lifted from Forerunner designs. The interesting thing with plasma launcher balls is that they stick to the target for half a second before detonating. Probably someone's idea of a sick joke.

ENERGY SWORD:

While not a gun, this device functions on similar principle to the other plasma weapons that the Covenant usually employ in their militaries. Energy Swords (colloquially called 'plasma swords') operate by emitting a magnetic field to encase plasma when it projects from the sword hilt, which is grasped horizontally, but vertical versions of the weapon exist two. Energy sais, cutlasses, rapiers, and pikes do exist as well, although the Energy Sword sees much use in combat. Originally, they were carried by high ranking Elites and Swordsmen in the Covenant military, but nowadays, they are held by Brutes in the Remnant. Elite Swordsmen still carry energy swords, but not with the same air they had before. Cutlasses are seen more in the hands of Kig-Yar, fitting since they are the Covenant's version of pirates.

In addition to regular energy blades, a hold-out blade exists that can be fastened on gauntlets, usually seen by Sangheili warriors as a close quarters weapon.

PARTICLE BEAMS

First seeing use in the Covenant as sniper rifles, Particle Beam weapons have been scattered across Known Space. The Forerunners used PBWs for long range attacks, Humanity used Particle Beams originally as Anti-Ballistic weapons that shot down missiles. As time went on, Humanity got access to the Covenant's weapons and were able to fashion a similar Particle Beam Rifle, although with a removable and rechargeable battery. The Covenant weapons on the other hand, draw power from crates that they are attached to using a wireless process that loads the battery using the stored energy. Other races that have Particle Beam Weapons are the Garim and the Alydes. Particle Beam rifles are favored for their instant hits, as the beam hits the target at the speed of light and causes massive tissue damage equal to a high caliber rifle round.

TESLA WEAPONS:

Unique to the Garim, Tesla Weapons were a Human name given to the strange devices wielded by the Garim. The Garim Homeworld has naturally occurring lightning storms that commonly connect with the tall iron-rich mountains on their world. For the most part, the harmful lightning is grounded, but the Garim, with their ability to harness the excited energy and ionized particles in the air channel it into weapons that shoot forks of lightning in the way that a taser would, but with much greater electrical output.

No classes of weapon exist, as only one type of gun is seen. While not varied in their uses, they have power, and it all depends on the wielder of the gun. Using the organs in their hands, Garim gather the energy in the surrounding air and channel is through absorption pads on the grips where it is supercharged by an onboard generator, lashing out at a target.

The closest Human analogue to a Tesla Gun would be a Stungun, a device that also shoots electricity through either contact or over range using magnetic bottle technology to propagate the lightning. Stunguns can be found in a handheld format (sometimes called the 'Electric Razor' by users) that needs to have contact with skin, a version with a pistol grip that shoots an electric pad, or a larger, carbine-size variant that has extended range, and is used in military operations where fatalities are best avoided. Ever since the 21st Century, Mankind has developed 'Tazer Rounds' for weapons that have a lower velocity and deliver a shock upon impact.

The Covenant also have versions of this through the use of stun sticks. They lack any true stungun used by either the Garim or the Humans even.

**::NOTICE, ON BEHALF OF THE UEG, UNSC, and CAA, THAT CIVILIANS ARE EXTREMELY UNLIKELY TO ENCOUNTER THESE WEAPONS IN HUMAN SPACE. POSESSING ANY EXOTIC WEAPON WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT –ISSUED PERMIT IS GROUNDS FOR IMPRISONMENT AND FINE (Variable by World). ADDITIONAL PUNISHMENTS MAY VARY. IF AN EXOTIC WEAPON MENTIONED ABOVE IS SEEN IN YOUR AREA, REPORT IT TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES (e.g. Local Police)** (UEG CIV-JUST 300.45 SEC 2).**::**

OTHER WEAPONS

This section details generally what is not mentioned above. While it is quite logical to assume that with the proper usage, literally _anything_ can be used as a weapon, this is specific to devices that are less common nowadays or are strictly nonlethal.

SWORDS

The symbol of the ancient world has survived in this day and age. Despite the 33rd Century being the 'shiny and optimistic' future that was originally popularized with The Jetsons (see REFERENCES for details), swords are still present on a surprisingly large number of worlds. Some of the swords that one would see nowadays are:

Daggers – small swords, common in all cultures. Daggers are characterized by their size and ability to be hidden. The term 'Dagger' encompasses multiple subclasses of weapon like switchblades, Combat Knives, Hunting Knives, etc. These are extremely easy to obtain, as easy as looking in a kitchenware drawer, and are not expected to be used as weapons of last resort in self-defense situations, or even in assaults. Daggers today utilize nanoweaving in their design, making them strong and durable, and the blades are very pristine. Sharpening them is easy and they can last a long time in between. Typically, anything between 5 and 12 inches can be classified as a dagger.

Shortswords/Longswords – uncommon, but present on agricultural worlds where they are used as a primitive and cheaper form of pest control when farmers can't find rifles to deal with local infestations. Usage in combat has become virtually nonexistent.

Claymores – Not seen in hundreds of years on Earth, but Claymores are common in Lyshaad culture, where they are works of art as well as weapons of war. An example of such weapons exist in Sangheili culture as far back as 2142 BCE.

Axes – Technically not a sword and more of a blunter instrument, axes are very common in areas that are wooded and can make improvised weapons in a pinch. Axes can be as large as a fire-axe for getting into locked rooms, or as small as throwing axes. These devices are not intended for combat use in military units.

**::CIVILIANS ARE WARNED THAN USING A BLADED WEAPON IN ANY CASE THAN IS NOT PARDONED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT. ADDITIONAL PUNISHMENTS VARY::**

TRANQUILIZER GUN

Strictly intended as a nonlethal weapon to be used on hunting trips. These are useful for stopping charging animals, but in special cases, they can be used to subdue attackers. Using high strength tranquilizer against ANY sentient being though is subject to scrutiny under UEG Law

**::LAW ENFORCEMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO AWAKEN ALLEGED ATTACKERS ON THE SPOT AND CHARGE FOR 'WRONGFUL DEFENSE'**(UEG CIV-JUST 141.21).**:: **

BOWS AND ARROWS

Surprisingly a robust form of weaponry when we consider the sheer age of such a platform. Bows and arrows have been seen to have roots all over the stars. At some point in time, an intelligent race used such a device for war and for hunting. Typically nowadays, one would be more likely to see a crossbow over the ancient longbow, but even the latter exists in pockets. Hunting seems to be the most common use for bows and arrows today, but one has to be blind to see that it makes an excellent silent weapon as well. The ammunition can be as simple as whittled sticks with feathers placed on them to high polymer arrows that can be tailor made for a situation. Even the UNSC sees crossbows used on stealth operations. Arrows can be fitted with a variety of heads for a variety of effects. Bows and arrows can be found all over Known Space and is not restricted to Humanity. Lyshaad bows are constructed out of Stonebough, a very durable wood that can take as much punishment as metal frames, and string made from the wood can be made elastic for tensile strength. Gallvente are single and dual layered as they have two pairs of arms.

ATTITUDES TOWARDS WEAPONS

Throughout history, especially since the widespread use of firearms in the 18th Century, there has only been one race that has raised a major argument over not only the use of firearms, but the existence of weapons themselves is Humanity.

Humanity has proven to be deeply divided about many social issues that have existed through their civilization, and the never-ending battle against weapons at the hands of their opponents has stretched on until this day. Only mankind has had arguments over the usage of weapons. Many call for the outright ban of weapons, some citing that this day and age does not need weapons. However though, while remaining impartial, we must realize that as of 3238, Mankind has had to fight for its own existence one time. This may have been one time, but it was probably the most important war in Humanity's history. It was either win, or become extinct. Naturally, fighting was the only real option, but there were those who claimed that peace was possible with the Covenant. Even despite the fact that the Covenant possessed weapons that wiped out Humanity, they argued that guns were 'barbaric'. The bantering over this sociopolitical issue has never lay dormant. Many choose to forget that were it not for the decision to strike back at the Covenant, to fight right back to Earth itself, Mankind would not live to see 2553.

For more practical purposes, Mankind lives on a great number of worlds that are not inhabited by intelligent lifeforms, but do have life. A lot of this life is, to nobody's great surprise, hostile. Citizens who live in the Inner Colonies find it easy to imagine how things should be 'their' way, but the galaxy is a very diverse place, and not everything out there comes in peace. Farmers need to protect their crops, a standing military is needed as there are hostile aliens who still want to see Humanity burned to a cinder, and scientists theorize that there is _worse_ out there in the universe. Weapons like the above are a necessary evil, as today, we see ourselves in a constant battle for survival, either against evil aliens, or ourselves.

But what about heavy population centers? What about places like Earth? Weapon control does exist very much the closer one gets to Earth. Government and Municipal Law Enforcement makes active strides to keep the number of guns away from civilians. Heavy filtering of civilians through licensing bureaus will only ensure that those with proper checks, training, and lack of a criminal record will even lay a finger on the grip. Black Markets do exist too, but with the wide array of surveillance and undercover work into circles, these rings can often be busted. As of 3238, the population of Earth is 800,800,321,700. Of this population, it is estimated that only 200,000 were killed by unlawful discharge of a firearm. Reports tend to vary the farther out one goes. Overall, it is estimated that 4% of all deaths over the course of a year are result of weapons, and many of these weapons are illegally used. However, only a small number of Core and Inner Colony citizens are armed, as generally, things are relatively peaceful. The leading cause of death in all of UN Space is Accident (encompasses industrial, automotive, spatial and domestic).

Another common myth is that the Outer Colony worlds as far as the Sagittarius Arm are suggested to be lawless places where gun, sword, and other violence levels skyrocket and are generally considered being lawless places. Of course, since these worlds are a part of the UEG Alliance, all worlds in the sphere of influence must accord to a similar level of society. On every world, government exists, but as the farther you go, the less populated worlds are, and the less populated they are, the more freedom exists to do whatever a person desires. However, since costs are very expensive to get out that direction, it is very unlikely and hardly worth a person's time and bank account to go across Human Space just to find a place to shoot a gun without government legislation. Of the 1.77 trillion Humans in existence, everyone abides by a core law, and that core law helps curb weapons and their circulation.

But beyond that? Some believe this to be Rogue Space, where 'International Space Law', as some call it where pirate worlds are also hives of violence, but given tales from traders that go out that far, even Human worlds not loyal to the UEG have government forms. There isn't a truly 'Wild West' in this situation that everybody can take advantage of. It depends on where you're born and what culture you have nowadays.

As a Mobian, my own people have had weapon laws, but only against guns, specifically projectile firing weapons. As mentioned above, an international incident prompted the Kingdom of Acorn to attempt a total disarming of bullet-firing guns from Mobians. For a time, it actually worked, and amazingly, the Kingdom held its own in the Great War over the seemingly advanced Overlanders. But unlike the Overlanders, the Mobians knew their land well, and engaged as much in the Great War. However, leading up to this point, the Kingdom saw that they couldn't get rid of every weapon on the planet. There were other weapons manufacturers on the continent of Albion and in the Dragon Kingdom that did not abide by these laws. So, reluctantly, this ban was taken away, allowing Mobian soldiers to use guns again, which some say turned the tide of the war. Others say that it was Julian Kintobor's turning to our side and building his robots, which then proceeded to subsequently turn on us and force the Kingdom into seclusion in the new capital of Knothole.

The kingdom has taken steps to ensure a tight control of weapons has taken place. Civilians are not only to have a special license to even fire a gun, they must have a two year probation period where they are monitored by law enforcement constantly. At the end of those two years if their record is clean enough, they are granted a firearms license. Amazingly, the vast majority of citizens of the Kingdom want very little weapons. The Echidna with their energy weapons are a different story however, with many of the Great Houses having personal armories building them special items, and the Emperor in the Dragon Kingdom ensures that he personally gives his factories good incentives to keep their borders secure.

So, this is a slippery slope. Very slippery. Once something like this has come into existence, it is impossible to uninvent it. Love them, hate them, or if you're impartial, weapons in general are never going away. Every culture, every alien race has a form of weapon, firearms included. If they followed us into the stars, they'll follow us into the great mystery beyond that.


End file.
